Mike Kibwage speaks after captaining Harambee Stars to victory against Morocco
By Luke Oluoch, August 11, 2025Harambee Stars and Tusker defender Mike Kibwage has broken his silence after Kenya’s crucial win over Morocco in the ongoing African Nations Championship on Sunday, August 10, 2025, at the Moi Sports Centre Kasarani.
Kibwage, who until Sunday had earned two substitute appearances, was among the surprise starters as coach Benni McCarthy rang changes for the clash against the two-time competition winners.
The center back, who featured for Kakamega Homeboyz during his formative years, was additionally charged with leadership responsibility in the absence of Abud Omar and made his leadership acumen count with a solid defensive performance as Kenya claimed a crucial 1-0 win to extend the fine start to the continental games.
He took to his X page on Monday, August 11, 2025, to express his elation over what he termed as a special afternoon in his footballing career.
Special
“Some dream, others live the dream. I have captained the national team at the junior level, but nothing felt as special as this,” he stated.
Kibwage also stated that the details of the victory made the occasion more memorable.
Kenya was forced to play with one man less for a huge spell of the game following Chrispine Erambo’s dismissal for a dangerous tackle on a Moroccan opponent.
“Leading this group of warriors in a difficult match was not just a massive responsibility but also a huge piece of honour and pride. We keep going,” he stated.
Meanwhile, speaking on the result that saw the team’s defensive display put to an ice test, coach Benni McCarthy stated that he perfected the art of defending from Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho.
The UEFA Champions League-winning coach is well known as a master tactician in managing difficult situations.
Art of defending
The Harambee Stars coach described how the experiences under Mourinho taught him the crucial balance between sacrifice and defense.
“You know, like we were a team that plays with 10 men instead of 11. So I’ve learned the trades and the tricks of working with Mourinho, where you adjust, who do you sacrifice. And unfortunately, it’s not going to be pretty for the fans because they want to see attacking football. But then you think about most important to protect your goals. If you are in the lead, you protect at all costs.”