The Harambee Stars secured a quarter-final tie in their home country after a narrow victory against Zambia in their final Group A game at the African Nations Championships.
Ryan Ogam scored the only goal of the game with 15 minutes to go to ensure Kenya finished top of the gruelling group, which also had the likes of Morocco, Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Going into the game, there was an outside chance that Kenya could face Tanzania in the quarters since Taifa Stars had already secured top of the group status thanks to their opening three wins in Group B.
Despite the possibility of playing the quarter-final abroad, Benni McCarthy's team delivered a strong performance, dominating much of the match before finally opening the scoring in the 75th minute.
Harambee Stars' win on Sunday, August 17, carried important implications: Kenya will now face Madagascar in the quarter-finals, with the match scheduled to be held in Kenya.
Meanwhile, Morocco defeated DR Congo 3-1 at Nyayo Stadium on Sunday, but their effort was insufficient, and they finished second in Group A.
Kenya's campaign in Group A has been nothing short of impressive, as the Harambee Stars are unbeaten in CHAN 2024 as of August 17, with three wins and a draw earning them 10 points.
Besides the chance to play the quarter-finals in their home country, the Harambee Stars' win over Zambia also came with a hefty Ksh2.5 million perk, which was promised by President William Ruto days before the cracker.
Accounting for the other cash rewards from the government from their previous victories, Harambee Stars players have now bagged Ksh5 million each for their performances in the group stage alone.
In the quarter final, the players will also have plenty at stake, with President Ruto promising them Affordable Housing units on top of a Ksh1 million reward if they manage to secure a place in the last four of the tournament.
As far as security is concerned, there were little to no incidents at the Moi International Sports Centre in Kasarani, largely because the government set up six fan zones where fans could watch the game with a near-stadium experience.
The game against Zambia had fan tickets slashed by 40 per cent after a sanction by CAF, and it remains to be seen whether fans will be allowed to attend the stadium at full capacity for the quarters.
