“M. Bajaber broke the deadlock early, giving Kenya the platform they needed and setting the tone for a dominant afternoon.”
Pivotal“Bajaber struck again just seven minutes into the second half to double Kenya's lead, ending any realistic hope of a Lesotho comeback.”
Pivotal“Substitute L. Ouma made an immediate impact, cutting through a depleted Lesotho defence to add a third and put the contest completely beyond doubt.”
“L. Ouma completed his brace deep into stoppage time, rounding off a comprehensive Kenya performance with a fourth goal in two minutes of playing time.”
Kenya
Lesotho
Kenya were efficient and purposeful from the first whistle, taking the lead through Bajaber inside eight minutes and controlling the tempo through a first half that saw them generate more dangerous attacks — 75 to Lesotho's 41 across the full 90 — despite an even share of possession. The second half brought the decisive moments in quick succession: Bajaber doubled the advantage from the restart, and Sekhoane Moerane's dismissal for violent conduct on 53 minutes effectively ended Lesotho as a competitive force. With a man advantage, Kenya's triple substitution on 68 minutes brought fresh legs and the game was put to bed by substitute L. Ouma, who grabbed two late goals in the 84th and 88th minutes to complete a thoroughly convincing scoreline. Lesotho mustered nine shots but could only place two on target, and once reduced to ten men they had no answer to Kenya's relentless pressure down the flanks.
How entertaining was this match?
Kenya and Lesotho go head-to-head again at Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium just days after their first meeting ended in a 1-1 draw. With coach Benni McCarthy urging calm, Kenya will look to convert their superior chances into a winning result, while Lesotho's resilience in the first game proved they are no pushovers.
