Kenya’s Harambee Stars delivered a dominant performance on Tuesday evening, thrashing Seychelles 5-0 in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
Forward Ryan Ogam and team captain Michael Olunga both bagged a brace, helping the hosts bounce back emphatically after last week’s 3-1 defeat to The Gambia.
Ogam, who recently joined Austrian side Wolfsberger AC, got Kenya off to a flying start by heading in Duke Abuya’s set-piece in the seventh minute.
Abuya was instrumental again later in the half, providing the assist for Collins Sichenje’s 37th-minute strike.
Just two minutes after Sichenje’s goal, Ogam struck again, calmly finishing to notch his second and stretch Kenya’s lead to 3-0.
The onslaught continued as halftime approached. Ogam was brought down in the box, and Olunga confidently converted the resulting penalty to give Harambee Stars a commanding 4-0 lead at the break.
In the second half, head coach Benni McCarthy made a triple substitution, bringing on Stanley Omondi, Boniface Muchiri, and Marvin Nabwire for Duke Abuya, William Lenkupaye, and Job Ochieng.
Olunga completed the rout in the 66th minute with a well-placed header, capitalizing on a superb cross from Gor Mahia full-back Rooney Onyango.
The result lifts Kenya to fourth place in Group F with nine points, leapfrogging The Gambia. They now trail Burundi by one point and are ten behind group leaders Ivory Coast, who still have a game in hand.
Harambee Stars will look to finish their qualifying campaign on a strong note when they face Burundi on October 8, followed by a tough test against Ivory Coast on October 11—both matches set to be played away from home.