Harambee Stars midfielder Bryan Michira has described Kenya’s exit from the African Nations Championship (CHAN) as the end of one chapter but the beginning of another. Speaking after Friday night’s dramatic penalty shootout loss to Madagascar in the quarter-finals, Michira struck a note of gratitude and optimism.

“Tough exit to an incredible journey but this is not the end, it is a start,” he posted on X, on Saturday, August 23, 2025, thanking fans for standing with the team through “highs and lows.”

Kenya’s run ended in heartbreak at a packed Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, where Alphonce Omija’s early header was cancelled out before Madagascar held their nerve to win 4-3 on spot-kicks. It was a bitter pill, but one that many Kenyans chose to swallow with pride.

Pride despite painful exit

President William Ruto hailed the team for a “remarkable run,” saying they had “silenced doubters” and “lifted the spirit of a nation.” In his message, he described the penalty shootout loss as “no dishonour” and urged fans to continue filling Kasarani with “cheer, energy, pride, and love for the game” as the historic Pamoja CHAN continues.

Head coach Benni McCarthy, who guided Kenya to the last eight at the first time of asking, was equally proud of his charges.

“Nothing but proud of what we achieved. The players gave everything every single day in training and every match,” he said.

While lamenting missed chances, McCarthy credited the players’ fighting spirit and praised the fans for turning Nairobi into a fortress.

But beyond the stadium, the exit sparked a storm of online banter. Tanzanian fans roasted Kenyans for what they called an “early checkout,” only to face equal fire hours later when the Taifa Stars were knocked out by Morocco.

For Michira and his teammates, however, the focus is already on the future. With the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations looming, the lessons from CHAN could prove invaluable.

As McCarthy summed it up:

“We feel disappointed now, but when you look back and see what we achieved, today was just one hurdle too many.”