Kenya coach McCarthy credits Mourinho for tactical masterclass in CHAN win over Morocco
McCarthy and Mourinho
Kenya head coach Benni McCarthy has hailed Fenerbahçe boss José Mourinho after adopting his former manager’s tactics to secure a 1-0 victory over Morocco in their African Nations Championship (CHAN) Group A clash on Sunday.
Making their CHAN debut, Kenya stunned the two-time champions with Ryan Ogam’s 42nd-minute strike.
The match took a dramatic turn shortly after when midfielder Chrispine Erambo’s yellow card for a challenge on Anas El Mahraoui was upgraded to a straight red following a VAR review, leaving Kenya with 10 men for the entire second half.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, McCarthy’s side held firm to claim all three points, a feat he credited to lessons learned during his time under Mourinho at FC Porto.
“I played under a certain manager — José Mourinho — the master of such game management,” McCarthy said after the match. “To play with 10 players is hell, but we used to do it as if it was routine. I learned the trade from him: where to tighten, who to sacrifice.
“It’s not always neat for the fans, but you cling on to your lead at any cost. Sometimes defenders do midfielders’ or strikers’ work. When you lose a player, you keep one workhorse up front and ‘park the bus’ — or in our case, park a train and a bus in front!”
