Kenya coach Benni McCarthy has sent a clear message to South Africa ahead of their back-to-back AFCON 2027 qualifiers. The former Bafana striker says he wants the very best for his home country, but he will not make life easy for them when the two teams meet.

McCarthy is preparing his Harambee Stars side for the double-header against Bafana Bafana. The first match takes place on 13 November in South Africa, with the return fixture set for 17 November in Nairobi. Although Kenya have already secured their place at the 2027 tournament as co-hosts with Uganda and Tanzania, McCarthy still wants his players to treat the games seriously.

Speaking about facing the country he once represented as a player, McCarthy made it plain that old loyalties will not come into play. “I’d want the very best for my country but I’ll definitely not make it easy for them,” he said. He warned that nostalgia will count for nothing once the whistle blows.

The matches give McCarthy a chance to test his squad against one of the stronger teams in the group. South Africa, coached by Pitso Mosimane, have started the qualifiers well and will be looking to strengthen their own position. For Kenya, the games are a useful measuring stick before the continental showpiece.

McCarthy knows the South African set-up well from his playing days. He has already spoken about the challenge of facing a team that is still settling under a new coach. At the same time, he has stressed that his focus is on getting the best out of the players available to him in Kenya. He has named a competitive squad that includes experienced campaigners such as Michael Olunga.

The upcoming fixtures mark McCarthy’s first competitive meetings with his home country as a national-team coach. South African fans will be watching closely to see how the former Orlando Pirates and international striker approaches the occasion. McCarthy has made it clear that personal feelings will stay off the pitch.

Both sides are expected to treat the matches as proper contests. While Kenya’s qualification is already secured, results can still affect rankings and momentum. For McCarthy, the priority remains clear: give his players a proper test and ensure Kenya do not hand South Africa any free points.

Source: https://x.com/iDiskiTimes/status/2120149332708016470?a=cU6ueetirOqAgtMjSkc&s=19