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Matasi did not have the best of games against Cameroon on Friday night, making two mistakes that led directly to goals as the Indomitable Lions cruised to a 4-1 win.
Harambee Stars head coach Engin Firat remained tight-lipped on the future of goalkeeper Patrick Matasi after his shaky performance in Kenya’s 4-1 loss to Cameroon on Friday, October 11, in Yaoundé.
Matasi’s blunders, particularly for the second and fourth goals, contributed significantly to the heavy defeat, igniting widespread criticism across the country.
Many questioned Firat's decision to continue selecting Matasi for the national team, especially considering his previous high-profile mistakes. In September, Bandari’s Byrne Omondi was in goal for both clashes against Zimbabwe and Namibia, and produced assured performances as Kenya sailed to a four-point lead.
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It was therefore surprising to see him dropped for the clash against the Indomitable Lions, considering he has hardly put a foot wrong in any of his seven caps for the side since his debut in June 2023.
However, when pressed on whether Matasi would be dropped for Monday's return leg against the five-time African champions, Firat hinted at possibly making changes
Speaking to reporters in Uganda on Sunday, October 13, ahead of the second leg at Namboole Stadium, Firat was philosophical about the situation, hinting at possible changes but not committing to any decision just yet.
"We win together, we lose together, so I make the decisions," Firat said. "If any player doesn't bring the performance that everybody expects, then of course I have to react. That's all I can say,” he said, hinting that Matasi may well be dropped for the encounter.
“What happened, happened, and I don't have anything more to add."
The defeat in Yaoundé has been a significant blow to Kenya’s hopes of securing a strong footing in the qualifiers. Firat acknowledged the disappointment his team felt but stressed the difference in aggression between the two sides.
"We came out of the game with a very big disappointment. We tried to analyze what happened, and the biggest difference in the game was the aggressiveness between Kenya and Cameroon," Firat admitted.
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He also took issue with the officiating, particularly the decision to award Cameroon a penalty in the 8th minute after defender Eric Ouma was penalized for handling the ball inside the box. Firat didn’t hold back in his assessment of the situation.
"We had a lot of individual mistakes. I also want to talk about the first goal, the penalty — it's a joke. We didn't even touch the ball; it didn’t change direction, but the referee didn't issue a yellow card to someone he claimed handled the ball," he remarked.
The coach went on to call for the introduction of VAR in African qualifiers, suggesting that such technology would help eliminate controversial decisions like the one that impacted his side early in the game.
"It's high time African football brought in VAR. It's for all of us, not just for one side, because conceding a penalty in the 8th minute has a huge psychological impact on the outcome of the game," Firat concluded.
With Matasi’s errors under the microscope and Firat’s suggestion that changes could be made, all eyes will be on the Harambee Stars’ starting lineup for Monday’s return leg in Uganda. Whether Matasi will retain his place or make way for another goalkeeper remains to be seen.
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