CAFCC: Resilient Nairobi United oust Uganda's NEC by barest of margins

Nairobi United booked their place in the next round of the CAF Confederation Cup after holding Uganda’s National Enterprises Corporation (NEC) to a tense 1-1 draw on Saturday evening at Nyayo National Stadium, Nairobi.

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The result was enough to send the City Boys through on the away-goals rule, following last week’s 2-2 stalemate in the first leg at Nakivubo’s Hamz Stadium.

The aggregate score stood at 3-3, but Nairobi’s two goals away from home proved decisive.

NEC’s Charles Waibi opened the scoring early in the second half, but Duncan Omalla’s equaliser in the 64th minute settled the tie and sparked wild celebrations among the home fans.

Match Report

National Enterprise Corporation (NEC) of Uganda came flying out of the blocks at Nyayo National Stadium, immediately pinning Nairobi United in their own half and signalling their intent with early attempts on goal.

Nairobi United’s goalkeeper Kevin Oduor was called into action as early as the fourth minute, pulling off a sharp save to deny Innocent Ronald Media after the South Sudanese striker had found space inside the box.

The visitors relentlessly pressed forward, keeping the ball in Nairobi’s defensive zone.

Their tactic was clear as they used long balls pumped towards the well-built Media, but Nairobi’s experienced defender Lennox Ogutu stood firm, repeatedly shielding his goal.

NEC had an early penalty appeal in the sixth minute when Gregory Atendele appeared to be clipped in the box.

The referee, who had himself slipped on the wet turf at the same time, waved away the protests, much to the frustration of the Ugandan bench.

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Three minutes later, NEC came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock.

Media collected the ball deep in midfield, danced past three markers, and laid it off to Charles Waibi, whose shot skied harmlessly wide.

Seconds later, the momentum swung to the other end.

Nairobi’s Ivorian forward Frank Ouya went on a dazzling solo run, leaving defenders in his wake, but he hesitated at the crucial moment and failed to capitalise, keeping the scoreline goalless.

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The home side’s goalkeeper once again came to the rescue in the 13th minute, bravely throwing his body in front of a point-blank effort from Media to deny NEC the lead.

The South Sudanese forward had bulldozed his way into the box and seemed certain to score, only for Oduor to stand tall.

By the 20th minute, Nairobi United began to settle into the game, stringing a few passes together, but they still struggled to break through NEC’s solid final-third press.

The Ugandan military outfit almost punished them again in the 23rd minute.

A long ball from Moustapha Kiiza released Media, but with Oduor rushing off his line to close him down, the striker lofted his effort over the bar.

NEC’s persistence finally paid off in the 25th minute.

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A long throw-in from Atendele found Waibi inside the box, and the winger unleashed a fierce half-volley that rocketed past the helpless Oduor into the back of the net.

Nairobi responded by upping their tempo after the half-hour mark, but NEC suffered a setback of their own when Media limped off injured and was replaced by Emmanuel Ajo

The home side had a rare opportunity in the 36th minute.

Making his debut for Nairobi United, winger Ovella Ochieng curled a free kick just over the bar, drawing gasps from the crowd that had painted Nyayo yellow.

Ovella remained Nairobi’s liveliest outlet, causing trouble down the left flank.

In the 42nd minute, he was brought down by Shamir Kimwero, winning another promising free kick, but again the chance went begging.

For the rest of the half, NEC stayed on the front foot, pressing aggressively and denying the hosts any rhythm.

Oduor was called upon again to thwart further efforts from Waibi, Ajo, and Joseph Dhata, ensuring Nairobi remained within touching distance.

When the referee blew for halftime, NEC were deservedly in front, with Joseph Seremba drawing plaudits for his tireless midfield display of breaking up play, winning duels, and keeping the city boys firmly on the back foot.

Nairobi United, needing just a low-scoring draw to progress, made a bold tactical shift at halftime with a triple substitution, introducing Michael Karamor, Shami Kibwana, and Brian Magara.

The changes injected energy and purpose into the hosts.

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Five minutes after the restart, Waibi almost doubled NEC’s advantage when he danced through Nairobi’s defence but rattled the woodwork in the 50th minute.

Two minutes later, Kibwana nearly restored parity for the hosts from a free-kick, but his curling effort drifted narrowly wide of NEC goalkeeper Ssebwalunyo Hangtone’s far post.

In the 59th minute, Karamor, formerly of Kisumu All Stars, came closest to scoring for Nairobi when his close-range strike was tipped over the bar by the alert Ssebwalunyo, who was increasingly called into action as the half wore on.

By the hour mark, NEC’s early spark had faded, and the City Boys began dominating duels in midfield, though they initially struggled to find a clinical edge in the final third.

Nairobi’s persistence paid off in the 64th minute when Omalla, ghosting in at the blind side of defender Gregory Atendele, latched onto Magara’s incisive pass and coolly slotted the ball home to level the scores.

The equaliser ignited the stands as fans in Nairobi’s trademark yellow jerseys erupted in song, drumming Isukuti rhythms and blowing vuvuzelas that reverberated around Nyayo Stadium.

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NEC coach Hussein Mbalangu responded by throwing on Paul Mucureezi for Joseph Dhata and Gedion Odongo for Moustapha Kiiza, trying to wrestle back momentum.

United made their own change with 20 minutes to play, bringing on playmaker Brian Ogutu for goalscorer Omalla in a move aimed at freshening the attack.

Kibwana then spurned a golden opportunity in the 72nd minute, racing clear one-on-one with the NEC goalkeeper but hesitating at the crucial moment and sending his effort wide.

Sensing danger, Mbalangu replaced Waibi with Marvin Kavuma as NEC pushed forward.

They came agonisingly close in the 78th minute when Joseph Seremba’s glancing header at the near post forced Nairobi’s goalkeeper Kevin Oduor into a brilliant fingertip save to push the ball out for a corner.

The final minutes turned into an end-to-end battle as both sides went in search of a decisive goal.

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Nairobi opted to tighten up their backline, replacing winger Ovella Ochieng with centre-back Prince Buregeya with seven minutes remaining.

Despite NEC’s late pressure, United’s defence held firm, and when the referee finally blew for full-time, the home side’s fans roared in jubilation as the City Boys sealed their spot in the next round at the expense of the Ugandan debutants.