It’s the defence, Bobby, defence... Fix the defence!

Harambee Stars tactician Bobby Williamson will have to address his defensive frailties before the national team’s next 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Zambia in Nairobi.

Stars will host the Chipolopolo on the weekend of September 4-6 and going by the shaky defensive performance against Congo’s Red Devils on Sunday, the Scot has a lot of work to do.

The central defensive partnership of Jackson Saleh and David ‘Cheche’ Ochieng struggled to hold and cut off aerial balls from the unrelenting Congolese forwards and the lack of calmness under pressure cost Stars dearly as Saleh handled in the box in the 37th minute to gift the Claude Le Roy-coached side with an equaliser.

Though not a bad performance away, it is a match they could have easily won to take a strong command of Group E had it not been for a sloppy defence and spurned chances in the final third.

Big-centre half Brian Mandela who turns out for Sanlam Santos in South Africa, and missing the match with injury, as well as Lawrence Olum are viable options.

Mandela’s physical presence combined with Olum’s calmness could help fix the defence.

FIX THE PROBLEM

The Scot will also need to deal with the goalkeeping department. Stars have lacked a goalkeeper with full command of his area in the absence of Kenya One, Arnold Origi, and this was evident on Sunday.

Gor Mahia goalie, Boniface Oluoch, picked in absence of Origi, gave Kenyans many anxious moments with poor decisions, often leaving his line prematurely.

It is over two years since he donned the national colours and it could have stemmed from stage freight but Williamson together with the goalkeeping coach will have to work round the clock to fix the problem. Getting Origi for the Chipolopolo clash will also be key.

Paul Were, scorer of Kenya’s goal was a livewire before paving way for Kevin Kimani. Gifted with pace and  intelligence, Were can on a good day weave his way past several legs and will need an equally destructive right winger to help unlock the Chipolopolo and also lessen the burden from the central strikers.

Allan Wanga, deployed alongside Michael Olunga in a two-pronged attack in the 4-4-2 formation, struggled to impose himself in the game despite being the most experienced player on the pitch alongside skipper Victor Wanyama.

In this game, the Scot opted for field two holding midfielders in Collins ‘Gatusso’ Okoth and Wanyama, but may be forced to change tack and  partner Wanyama with a more adventurous box-to-box midfielder when they battle Zambia.

However, with a point earned and the other group match involving Zambia and Guinea Bissau ending in a barren draw, Stars have every chance to build on the Sunday performance and coach Twahir Muhiddin, who was an assistant coach when Stars last made an appearance at the Afcon finals in Tunis, Tunisia in 2004, believes that proper preparations will be key.

“We played against an experienced side. The federation must organize for international friendlies, we need at least two strong friendlies before we battle Zambia,” he said.