Benni McCarthy walked into Orlando Amstel Arena as the underdog, went a goal down to an own goal, and then quietly changed the game without Bafana Bafana noticing.

Kenya came away with a 2-2 draw in Soweto, and afterwards their coach explained exactly how it happened. By his account, the match turned on a tactical change that Pitso Mosimane’s side never worked out.

Kenya fell behind when Amos Wanjala put the ball into his own net. McCarthy admitted it was a mistake, and he said it forced his hand.

“Obviously we made that error, we gave away the opening goal and I had to change the system, which I don’t think they realised that I had changed the system,” he said.

The problem was on the flanks. Bafana’s full-backs were running riot.

“We got into a bit of trouble with Aubrey Modiba. The two full-backs on both sides were causing us problems. Ossie [Oswin Appollis] and Tshepang Moremi were tucking inside, while Iqraam Rayners and Rele [Mofokeng] were causing us a lot of problems. The full-backs were having a free ride every single time, and then we changed it.”

McCarthy’s answer was to switch to a back three, putting his wing-backs directly up against Bafana’s full-backs.

“We changed into a back-three and then the wing-backs occupied the full-backs, which I think they didn’t realise what hit them. Then we started having a bit of space and more possession and we were able to do what we did,” he added.

What Kenya did was fight back. They levelled, and Ryan Ogam found a late equaliser to claim a point against a team that had won its first three games under Mosimane.

Even so, McCarthy was not fully satisfied with his side’s performance.

“I thought we played a good game of football, a little too basketball-like for my liking. I would like to have had more control of the game, especially when we went 1-1,” he said.

“At half-time I thought we were in the game well; we controlled most of the situations. In the second half Bafana came out, but I still thought we controlled the game and we managed most of the situations.”

On the result, McCarthy was balanced and generous.

“In the end I think it was a deserved draw for both teams. Whoever had won this game, I don’t think people would’ve been angry or said 2-1 was lucky, because I think over the 90 minutes both teams had their moments. Both goalkeepers really kept both teams in the game.”

He was honest about what a draw means for him.

“I’m happy. I’m not sure it’s the result Bafana wanted, but at the end of the day it’s a football match and you’re the coach and you just want your team to win, but I wasn’t able to get it over the line.”

The two sides meet again on Tuesday, 17 November, in Nairobi. McCarthy knows his tactical secret is out now, and so does Mosimane.

“On Tuesday we have another opportunity and hopefully we will get something positive,” McCarthy said.

Visit MDNtv YouTube Channel for our video content