Aubameyang scored in either half, the second from the penalty spot and despite Kenya's efforts to find their way back after striker Michael Olunga had reduced the deficit, the Panthers held on to register their fifth win of the qualification campaign.
Harambee Stars went into the matchday six fixture seeking a win following their 3-3 comeback draw against Gambia at Alassane Ouattara Ebimpe Olympic Stadium on Thursday, March 20th.
During the six-goal thriller, the Scorpions had raced into a 2-0 second-half lead courtesy of Musa Barrow and Yankuba Minteh but Harambee Stars responded after lead striker Michael Olunga scored from the penalty spot before substitute Mohammed Bajaber hit a stunning goal to make it 2-2.
However, Barrow scored late on for his brace to make it 3-2 for Gambia but another substitute William Wilson replied with a beautiful last-kick effort of the game to salvage a vital point for the East African nation.
Meanwhile, Gabon came into the Group F fixture basking with a resounding 3-0 victory against bottom-placed Seychelles at Stade de Franceville. A double from Denis Bouanga, who plays for Major League Soccer club Los Angeles FC, and a third-minute strike from Jim Allevinah, was all that Gabon needed to secure their fourth win of the qualification campaign.
Being his first fixture against Gambia, coach McCarthy trusted Richards Bay custodian Ian Otieno between the sticks, while the backline revolved around Rooney Onyango, Daniel Anyembe, Brian Mandela, who was making a return to the squad, having last featured in the 2-2 friendly draw against Russia on October 16th, 2023, and the overlapping Eric ‘Marcelo’ Ouma.
Ismael Gonzalez, who features for Spain’s third-tier side CE Sabadell on a season-long deal and was making a comeback to the national team, led the midfield role, with Anthony Okumu and Richard Odada playing ahead of him while Eric Johanna and John Avire supported captain Olunga, who started upfront as a lone striker.
However, against the Panthers in his second game in charge of Harambee Stars, the former Manchester United assistant coach made four changes, South Africa-based defender Brian Mandela of Stellenbosch FC, Gonzalez (in Spain), Johanna and Avire dropping to the bench with Johnstone Omurwa, Wilson, who scored to make it 3-3 against Gambia, Bajaber, who found the back of the net to make it 2-2 early in the game, and Timothy Otieno coming in for the starting role.
Meanwhile, goalkeeper Ian Otieno kept his position after the penalty save that kept Kenya in the game against Gambia, same as Rooney Onyango, Anyembe, overlapping Ouma, Akumu, Odada and captain Olunga, who was tasked to lead the attacking role once again as the lone striker.
Ahead of the battle, McCarthy had remained defiant that Kenya was firmly in the race to qualify for their first-ever World Cup. Asked whether Harambee Stars still hard a chance.
He said: “Yes we do, everyone in the group, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Burundi, Gambia, everyone has a chance, we still in it with a chance, and there is a likelihood of qualifying as the best second placed team.
“So, everything is possible, but we have to start Sunday’s game with three points and that will send us on our way, and try to catch up with the teams that have already accumulated 12 points, like Gabon, it will be a hard task, but not impossible to achieve.”
Aubameyang puts Gabon ahead against dominant Kenya
Cheered on by the sold-out crowd which had been deprived of seeing their national team in action for the last two years following the lack of approved stadia by FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Kenya started the strongest side with midfielder Akumu forcing Gabon goalkeeper Loyce Mbaba into an early save with only two minutes played.
The Panthers then responded with an attack of their own five minutes later, when former Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang exchanged play with Mario Lemina and they caught goalkeeper Otieno off his line, but the Kenyan made a quick turn to backtrack and clear the danger out for a goal-kick.
From the missed opportunity, Gabon took control of the game for the first time in the game, creating chance after chance and in the 15th minute they were rewarded when Aubameyang found himself with acres of space inside the danger zone to slot the ball past Otieno for the opener.
Kenya responded immediately with a counter-attacking move and Olunga found the back of the net from close range after a delivery from Omurwa from the right wing, but his effort was ruled out for offside despite Kenyan fans already out of their seats.
The disallowed goal did not kill the morale of Harambee Stars as they kept attacking for the leveller and the next chance fell to Olunga, but after turning two defenders inside out, he shot his effort off the mark. Another opportunity fell to Olunga once again, this time the former Gor Mahia and current Al Duhail SC striker, unleashing a left-footed effort from outside the 18-yard area but it rattled the upright side of the post and strolled back to play before a Gabon defender finally came out to clear the ball to safety.
The half-time whistle went off with Gabon leading 1-0 but from the chances Kenya had created, they deserved to have a goal from it. The second half started with Gabon making a substitution, Moucketou-Moussounda, who was on a yellow card being replaced.
Three minutes later, Gabon doubled their lead to silence Kenyan fans, a dangerous move from the right side hitting the hand of Ouma and the referee pointed to the penalty spot. Aubameyang stepped up to score the resultant kick for his brace of the day, sending Otieno the wrong way.
With McCarthy preparing for a double change, Harambee Stars finally managed to reduce the deficit from a counter-attacking move. A superb cross from the overlapping Ouma found Olunga at the far post and he managed to sneak the ball past Mbaba to the excitement of the crowd at Nyayo Stadium.
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