Kenya’s Harambee Stars suffered a crushing 8–0 defeat to Senegal in an international friendly in Turkey on Tuesday, prompting Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Hussein Mohammed to issue a public apology and announce sweeping reforms.
“Truth be told, today is a bad day in the office. The results from today’s games are a wake-up call to us. To play and compete against the best in the world requires deliberate investment in a serious and professional technical team and player development programmes,” wrote Hussein Mohamed on X, acknowledging the magnitude of the loss.
The defeat, which was Kenya’s heaviest since 1978, has sparked scrutiny over the technical bench led by Benni McCarthy.
Mohammed confirmed that the FKF will now conduct a comprehensive review of its structures, policies, and staff performance indicators, signalling major changes ahead.
He further appealed for forgiveness from Kenyans, promising corrective action: “We have no excuses. I apologise for these results. We shall fix it. We will review our policies, operational procedures and key performance indicators of all staff, starting from the grassroots and working our way to all national teams.”
On the pitch, Senegal’s dominance was overwhelming from the onset. The World Cup-bound Lions of Teranga tore through Kenya’s defence with ease, showcasing their class and firepower.
Sadio Mané scored a devastating first-half hat-trick, and Nicolas Jackson netted a brace, while Malick Diouf and Chérif Ndiaye added their names to the scoresheet.
Kenya trailed 6–0 within the opening 30 minutes, and the second half offered little respite as Senegal extended their lead to complete the 8–0 rout.
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