Kenya endured a humiliating 8-0 defeat to Senegal in an international friendly at Mardan Stadium in Turkey on Tuesday.

Sadio Mane was the star of the evening, with the former Liverpool forward menacing the Kenyan defence to claim a hat-trick.

Bayern Munich attacker Nicolas Jackson added further misery to Benni McCarthy's Harambee Stars as he helped himself to a clinical brace.

El Hadji Malick Diouf, Ibrahim Mbaye and Cherif Ndiaye also got on the scoresheet to round off Senegal’s ruthless performance.

The match became even more chaotic when coach McCarthy’s South African assistant, Vasili Manousakis — formerly of AmaZulu, Richards Bay and Cape Town City — was sent off in the second half.

It was the heaviest defeat for the Bafana Bafana legend in his career as a coach and it came a few days after Kenya also lost to Equatorial Guinea in another friendly game.

Kenya’s humiliating 8-0 defeat to Senegal has raised concerns that the result could tarnish McCarthy’s image so early into his tenure as their coach.

It now ranks among the Harambee Stars’ worst losses in history, alongside the infamous 13-1 defeat to Uganda in the 1932 Gossage Cup.

They also endured a painful 13-2 thrashing by Ghana on Jamhuri Day in 1965, a result that ruined their celebrations on home soil.

It was the fourth heaviest defeat to be suffered by Kenya, who also lost 9-0 to Zambia in 1978 in a CECAFA match in neutral Malawi.

Such a heavy setback against Senegal has placed the Bafana great under stern scrutiny, with questions emerging about his tactical approach.

The coach will now have to work overtime to ensure Tuesday’s collapse does not demoralise his players as they regroup in 2026.

He faces the difficult task of restoring belief and confidence in a squad still processing one of its darkest days.

This comes at a crucial moment, as McCarthy carries the bigger responsibility of preparing Kenya to perform respectably when they co-host the 2027 AFCON finals alongside Uganda and Tanzania.

Mané has written his name into African football history by surpassing the coveted 50-goal mark in international football.

The Senegal star now boasts 51 goals as the Teranga Lions' record goalscorer, further cementing his status as one of the continent’s most prolific forwards.

By reaching this milestone, Mane joins an elite group of African legends who have scored at least half a century of goals for their countries.

His name is now mentioned alongside the likes of Hossam Hassan, Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o and Asamoah Gyan on this prestigious list.

Kenya went into this international window without their captain, Michael Olunga, who was surprisingly left out by McCarthy.

It was a bold call that immediately sparked widespread scrutiny and debate around McCarthy’s selection decisions.

Even if Olunga's inclusion might not have changed the outcome against a strong Senegal side, some quarters in Kenyan football believe his leadership and presence were missed.

The decision might put McCarthy under increasing pressure, with questions raised about whether dropping his skipper was necessary.

Former Kenya international Denis Oliech is one of those who do dont approve the omission of Olunga.

“Olunga deserves to be in the Harambee Stars squad," said Olunga as per KickOff.

"The coach doesn’t deserve to leave Olunga out because he is the leading captain, and best striker for Kenya.

“Until Olunga says I have retired, it is when he should be left out of the squad. Having Olunga in the squad, and with the experience he has, will motivate the young players in the team.

“It is unfortunate Kenya is going to Turkey without experienced players, even the young players will feel burdened with the opportunity of playing minus experienced players guiding them," added the former AJ Auxerre forward.

“If you have experienced players in your team, it is not necessary they start a game, they can come from the bench and make a huge impact, and by doing so it will be a big motivation for the young players.

"So, for me, I still believe Olunga is part and parcel of the national team, and should not be ignored.”