We Can't Afford To Be Scared, Harambee Stars Coach Migne Dares

24th June 2019 - by Louis Kalinga

Frenchman saw his side surrender meekly to Algeria in their Group C AFCON opener in a 0-2 defeat, admitting they suffered from stage flight

In this file photo taken on May 20, 2019 Kenyan national football team's French head coach Sebastien Migne reacts during a training session at Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi, Kenya. Kenyan national football team, the Harambee Stars, has qualified for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) which will be held in Egypt from June 19 for the first time in 15 years. French coach Sebastien Migne said the squad he handpicked for the tournament, starting June 21 in Egypt, would benefit from the change in scenery and intensity of the regimen in Marcoussis, France's national rugby training facility just outside Paris. PHOTO | AFP

SUMMARY

Harambee Stars head coach Sebastian Migne has dared his charges to get rid of the fear factor if they are to pose a challenge in Group C of the ongoing 2019 Total Africa Cup of Nations
Migne was speaking after Kenya went down 2-0 to the Algeria in the opening game of their return to the continental showpiece at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo after a 15-year hiatus
Kenya will play Tanzania in their next match on Thursday at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo, before their final group game against tournament favorites Senegal next Monday, July 1

CAIRO, Egypt- Harambee Stars head coach Sebastian Migne dared his charges to get rid of the fear factor if they are to pose a challenge in Group C of the ongoing 2019 CAF Africa Cup of Nations after their meek surrender to the Desert Foxes of Algeria on Sunday night.

Migne was speaking after Kenya went down 0-2 in the opening game of their return to the continental showpiece at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo after a 15-year hiatus that left their hopes of making the knockout stages dependent on avoiding defeat in their remaining two games against Tanzania and Senegal.

Kenya, who have only managed one AFCON win in their history, were far from convincing in the opening encounter and now face an uphill task with games against neighbors Taifa Stars on Thursday before facing the Lions of Teranga who dismissed Tanzania by the same scoreline Monday week (July 1).

Stars were below average in the first half and allowed the Desert Foxes a large share of possession and they were undone in the 34th minute with a well-taken penalty from prolific striker Baghdad Bounedjah.

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Two-time English Premier League winner Riyad Mahrez then turned in a second before halftime to give the North Africans a comfortable lead in their continued quest for a second continental title and Stars could not fashion a response as Algeria cruised to the shared top with the group with Senegal.

Migne admitted the sense of the occasion overawed his team that featured last at the AFCON final in 2004 as his plan to contain the 1990 champions before hitting them on the counter was torn up the minute his defense conceded a needless penalty.

“I think today (Sunday) the step was too high for us. We missed the sort of experience that we need for this tournament. We were afraid to play. I can accept to lose but not to lose like we played in the first half,” the French tactician lamented.

Injuries to center-back pair of Brian Mandela and Gor Mahia FC’s Joash Onyango forced Migne to opt for a makeshift defense, bringing on 22-year old Joseph Okumu to partner Musa Mohammed and inspired by the trickery of Mahrez and right back Youcef Atal, Stars were stretched at the back and forced into errors.

After a dismal first half show, Migne brought on Swedish-based winger Eric 'Marcelo' Ouma for the disappointing Gor playmaker, Francis Kahata, who had struggled to get into the game throughout the first 45.

The change proved key for the Kenyans, who began to string together a couple of good passes and managing to contain the rest of the Algerian attacks to keep the score at 2-0.

“I didn’t recognize my team at the beginning. I knew it will not be easy to be comfortable in this tournament, but I would like to congrats Djamel (Belmadi) because his team is good in all departments and I think he will not be far to fight for the title.

“We had too much pressure today. If you are afraid, it is not possible to sustain at this level. It is the main lesson we have to pick, at least to play,” Migne added.

Migne is confident Onyango, who caused a stir online with anew dyed hair look, will be fit for their next group game to provide a more solid partnership in the heart of the Kenyan defense.

The defeat leaves Kenya third in a Group C led by Algeria, followed closely by Africa’s highest-ranked side Senegal who beat Tanzania by the same score-line earlier in the day.

Stars have to pick at least four points off the remaining two games to stand a realistic chance, in the least of being one of the best four third placed teams.

“It will be another game against an opponent maybe at the same level. This is the reality. Against Tanzania it will be necessary to play, to have the ball more and to try to play more to them.

“We need to be positive. We have won only one game in the AFCON as Kenya and it was without a stake. Now we have a game with stake and we have to go and try to win,” Migne charged.

The Frenchman who is a former Republic of Congo coach was hired in May last year and he led Kenya to the AFCON after they finished behind four-time champions Ghana in their qualifying group.