Police plot how to shoot down Al-Hilal in Champions League

Kenya Police Coach Ettiene Ndayiragije and Assistant Coach Habib play against Mogadishu City during the 2025/2026 CAF Champions League campaign at Nyayo National Stadium. Sept 20, 2025. [Jonah Onyango, Standard] Kenya Police are bracing for a tough battle against Sudan's Al-Hilal Omdurman in the second and final round of the CAF Champions League preliminary stage after narrowly advancing past Mogadishu City. Police, the reigning FKF Premier League champions, scraped through on a 3-3 aggregate score despite losing 2-0 in the second leg at Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday. The 3-1 win in the first leg at the same venue proved crucial, cushioning them from the weekend's poor showing for head coach Etienne Ndayiragije side. The law enforcers will now have to regroup quickly before facing Al-Hilal, one of Africa's seasoned clubs. The Sudanese giants sealed their slot after edging South Sudan's Jamus 1-0 on aggregate, and they will be eyeing a return to the group stages. For Police, however, the tie presents an opportunity to make history by qualifying for the lucrative group stage in their debut in the CAF Champions League. Meanwhile, Kenya's second representatives, Nairobi United, also lived dangerously but managed to reach the second round of the CAF Confederation Cup on away goals rule. The FKF Cup winners drew 1-1 with Uganda's National Enterprises Corporation (NEC) at Nyayo Stadium on Saturday, thanks to a decisive strike from forward Duncan Omalla. Omalla, a former Kisumu Day star, equalised late in the game after NEC had taken the lead, ensuring a 3-3 aggregate result. Nairobi had drawn 2-2 in the first leg in Kampala last week, and their two away goals turned out to be the lifeline they needed to advance. Speaking after the game, Omalla said the qualification meant more than just progression. "This is a big moment for us because it shows that we can compete at this level. It gives us the confidence we need to believe in ourselves ahead of the next round," he said. The striker, who has made a rapid rise from the National Super League (NSL) to continental football, admitted the pressure has been intense. "It is not easy to play in such a big tournament straight from the NSL, but pressure is part of football. We are learning with every game, and we will keep improving," Omalla said. Nairobi United now have a huge task ahead against Tunisia's Etoile du Sahel, who qualified after a 3-1 aggregate victory over Sudan's Madani. The North African giants boast vast experience in the Confederation Cup, and the City Boys will need to step up their game to stand a chance of progressing to the group stages. For both Kenyan clubs, the next assignments will be defining moments. Police will need to show resilience against Al-Hilal's physical and technical play, while Nairobi United must overcome nerves and inexperience when facing Etoile Sahel. Whether they can go a step further and break into the group stages will depend on how quickly they can adapt to the demands of playing against Africa's best.

Police plot how to shoot down Al-Hilal in Champions League

Get Full Access for Ksh299/Week.

Related Topics

Popular this week

Latest Stories

The Standard Insider

Digger Classified

GET OUR NEWSLETTER

CONNECT WITH US

FOR THE LATEST JOB ADVERTS

DIGGER JOBS

Digger Motors

Digger Real Estate

Police plot how to shoot down Al-Hilal in Champions League

Get Full Access for Ksh299/Week.

Related Topics

Popular this week

Latest Stories

The Standard Insider

Digger Classified

GET OUR NEWSLETTER

CONNECT WITH US

FOR THE LATEST JOB ADVERTS