Nairobi United Stun African Royalty: Kenyan Debutants Claim 2-0 First-Leg Advantage Over ES Sahel in CAF Confederation Cup
On a Nairobi afternoon thick with history, Nairobi United etched their name deeper into continental consciousness, toppling Tunisian giants Étoile Sportive du Sahel 2-0 in the first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup second preliminary round at the Ulinzi Sports Complex. In a match played behind closed doors—stripped of the usual riotous color and fervor that a home crowd brings, due to national security considerations—Kenya’s cup kings found their inspiration on the pitch, summoning a performance that will reverberate far beyond Lang’ata.
The occasion was historic before a ball was kicked. For the FKF Cup champions, this debut campaign in Africa’s second-tier club competition marked not just a reward for last season’s heroics, but also a rare opportunity: to end Kenya’s seven-year wait for a Confederation Cup group stage representative. Their opponents, ES Sahel, arrived with the weight of nine CAF trophies in their luggage and an aura of continental inevitability. What unfolded, however, was neither routine nor predictable.
Nairobi United set their stall early. The opening exchanges saw the hosts press with urgency, their attacks down the flanks testing Sahel’s backline. But it was in the 37th minute that the breakthrough came. A moment of incisive play split the visitors’ defense, and United’s forward, pouncing on a loose ball after a quick one-two, guided the ball past a sprawling Sahel goalkeeper to send the technical bench into muted celebrations fit for the occasion. The goal, their reward for relentless pressing, gave United control—and belief.
Sahel, spurred by the unwelcome deficit, briefly flickered into life. Their experience on the continent showed as they strung together patient spells of possession, probing for an equalizer. But United’s backline, marshaled by a resolute goalkeeper and a center-back pairing unyielding in the air, withstood every question the Tunisians posed before halftime.
Whatever was said in the Nairobi United dressing room at the interval, its effects were instantly apparent. Just seven minutes into the second half, the hosts doubled their advantage. From a well-worked set piece, the ball was lofted into the penalty area, where United’s attacker rose highest, powering a header home. The magnitude of the moment—two goals to the good against North African royalty—could not be overstated.
ES Sahel, typically a model of discipline and structure, looked rattled. Their midfield, so often composed, was harried into uncharacteristic errors. They pushed numbers forward in search of an away goal, but Nairobi United’s defense, perhaps recalling their narrow passage past Uganda’s NEC FC in the previous round, absorbed pressure with admirable composure. A late flurry from the Tunisians caused anxious glances on the United bench, but the hosts saw out the clean sheet with maturity.
No red cards or contentious officiating marred the contest; United’s discipline, both tactical and emotional, matched the occasion and the stakes.
For Nairobi United—two wins, two draws, and just one loss in their last five matches—the result is the latest chapter in a meteoric rise. Their FKF Premier League form had been patchy, but it’s on the continent where they are writing their most significant story. Qualification for the group stage, elusive since Gor Mahia’s feat in 2018, now sits tantalizingly within reach, though the journey is only half run.
The importance of this result is amplified by ES Sahel’s own recent struggles—a club in transition under new manager Mohamed Ali Nafkha, winless in three prior matches including a bruising league defeat to archrivals Esperance de Tunis. Their path to this round was smooth, a 3-0 aggregate cruise past Sudan’s Al Ahli Wad Medani, but Nairobi has proved less forgiving.
This was the first-ever meeting between these two clubs—one a debutant with dreams, the other a giant with pedigree. What Nairobi United have achieved, in the shadow of tragedy and within the sterile silence of an empty stadium, is to remind African football’s old order that new powers can emerge, often without warning.
The return leg, scheduled for next Sunday at the Stade Olympique de Sousse in Tunisia, will pose a far sterner test. A two-goal cushion is significant, but United will travel knowing Sahel seldom fall easily at home. The aggregate winner will secure a coveted group stage spot; for Nairobi, the opportunity is historic, for Sahel, the prospect of early elimination unthinkable.
As dusk settled over Ulinzi, the scoreboard offered a simple truth: Kenyan football’s new face has announced itself. The most challenging half of their continental exam comes next. But with belief, balance, and a little history already written, Nairobi United will travel north with their heads held high—and their dream alive.