The ball came to him in the 42nd minute.
One touch, one strike, and the noise inside Kasarani exploded.
Ryan Wesley Ogam, just 20 years old, had given Harambee Stars the lead against Morocco and, as it turned out, the win that would send Kenya into the CHAN quarter-finals.
Born in Nairobi on 21 December 2004, Ogam’s rise has been fast. He plays for Tusker FC now, though he didn’t start out as a striker. In fact, he was first signed as a defensive midfielder. The switch up front came last season, and it changed everything 15 goals in 17 games for Tusker in the 2024 FKF Premier League.
“It’s his movement and instinct,” head coach Benni McCarthy said before the tournament. “He’s a natural finisher.”
Ogam’s story started in youth football with Galaxy FC, Sunrise FC and UEFA Despanol. He made his senior debut for Rainbow FC in the National Super League, then had a short spell with Elite Falcons FC in the UAE. In 2024, he came back to Kenya to join Tusker, and by January 2025 he had earned his first national team call-up during the Mapinduzi Cup.
His debut CHAN goal didn’t come in an easy game. Kenya’s Chrispine Erambo was sent off just before half-time after a VAR review, leaving the Stars with ten men. Morocco, unbeaten in the CHAN until that point, threw everything forward.
Goalkeeper Bryne Omondi made save after save. The defence blocked, cleared, and chased every loose ball. Every tackle brought the crowd to its feet. When the whistle blew, the scoreboard read 1-0. Kenya were top of Group A.
As the fans chanted his name, Ogam smiled quietly. He may be new to the big stage, but in that moment, he was the hero Kasarani needed.
With Zambia up next and a quarter-final ahead, all eyes will be on the young man who proved that sometimes one moment is all it takes to change everything.
About the Author
