The newly promoted side to the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League, registered a resounding 2-0 victory against Tunisian giants Etoile Sportive du Sahel in the second preliminary round, first leg fixture at Ulinzi Sports Complex on Sunday.
A goal in either half courtesy of Ovella Ochieng and John Otieno ensured the promoted Nairobi-based side will travel to Tunis for the return leg at Stade Olympique de Sousse on Sunday, October 26th, carrying a healthy advantage and perfect chance to reach the group stages of the competition.
Kenyans clubs have always struggled when being pitted against North Africans opponents in CAF competitions including the Champions League, and even failing to progress beyond either the first or the second preliminary round matches for a ticket in the group stages.
Only one team has performed beyond expectations in the CAF competitions. Kenyan record champions Gor Mahia, became the first and only team from the East African region to clinch an African continental title to date, having won the African Cup Winners' Cup in 1987.
In 2011, Sofapaka wrote another piece of history after becoming the first Kenyan team to beat a North African side in a continental club competition. Batoto ba Mungu whitewashed Egyptian side Ismaily 4-0 at home to overturn a 2-0 first leg defeat and qualify for Confederation Cup group stages.
By doing what most Kenyan clubs had failed to do in many years, Sofapaka made history by eliminating an Egyptian side that enjoyed the services of seven Egypt national team players under former Southampton FC coach Mark Wotte.
During the same year, Ulinzi Stars, Kenya’s league champions from the previous year, had bowed out of the CAF Champions League in the very first round following a 4-0 aggregate defeat against Egyptian giants Zamalek.
Nairobi United believes history will come by itself
Despite the 2-0 advantage, Nairobi United coach Salim Ali is already focusing on the return leg but not with a record in mind. The former Mathare United tactician believes should his players be as committed as they were in the first leg, then history will follow the team to Nairobi.
“I think we are not chasing history, if we can have a very good match in Tunis next week, then I believe history will come by itself,” Ali told Flashscore after the game.
“We wanted to have a different match (from the previous two CAF matches against NEC), we wanted to use a different approach, and I believe if the players can keep the same morale, the same commitment, we will qualify for the group stages, and then again history will come back to Kenya.”
On whether he will deploy a defensive approach to protect the 2-0 advantage in Tunis, he replied: “We will play the same way we played at home, but on top of that, we will have to be very cautious, we can attack and at the end of the day, we have a mentality of defending again.
“So, we will try as much as possible to combine a very good team that can work on such tactics, because tactics, is now the key thing in away matches.”
He added: “We played for the fans because they are the ones who have motivated us, if you look at how they support us throughout the FKF Cup to earn this CAF ticket, and against Uganda Premier League NEC FC, home and away, I think the 12th man on the pitch has played a huge role for us.”
On his substitutions against Sahel, Ali reflected: “I think it is positioning players and trying to manage the time, and of course, when you have good players tactically, after a long time of work late, then you bring in another set of players, who can give us the same thing but in a short time, so I think it was tactical.”
Their first preliminary round pitted Nairobi United against Ugandan Premier League side NEC FC, and they scored at the death to snatch a 2-2 draw away. The return leg in Nairobi saw the contest end in a 1-1 draw, with Naibois qualifying to the second preliminary round on the away goals rule.
