Nairobi United defender opens up facing former Chelsea and Watford stars at Kasarani
Reading Time: 2min | Mon. 09.02.26. | 12:40
On a day where many things went wrong, on the pitch, for the Salim Ali-coached side, Biko caught the attention of the crowd at Kasarani, who gave him a round of applause when he left the pitch in added time after receiving a red card
Nairobi United defender Steve Biko faced his biggest career test on Sunday when his club hosted Moroccan giants Wydad Casablanca at Kasarani Stadium.
Biko, who can comfortably play as a right and at the heart of the defence, was tasked with marking former Chelsea star Hakim Ziyech in the CAF Confederation Cup group stage encounter.
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Ensuring that the UEFA Champions League did not inflict damage on Nairobi United was not the sole assignment Biko had, as former Watford man Noureddine Amrabat was also making runs in his territory.
Despite being his third continental match and facing two players who have been at the highest level, he never appeared intimidated or overwhelmed.
On a day where many things went wrong, on the pitch, for the Salim Ali-coached side, Biko caught the attention of the crowd at Kasarani, who gave him a round of applause when he left the pitch in added time after receiving a red card.
Speaking to the press after the match, the soft-spoken defender opened up on battling the two former English Premier League (EPL) stars.
“I believe a good player should know how to position themselves and have the speed to get there in time for the tackles or loose balls. It was a nice battle that I enjoyed. I had to do my job, but unfortunately ended with a red card.
It was also a dream come true to play with such stars whom we had been watching on TV and to test my level against them,” he said.
Biko made several interceptions and thrice blocked goal-bound shots to keep his side in the game.
However, he was sent off for a denial of a goal-scoring opportunity in the 93rd minute when Naibois were trailing 1-0.
On his general assessment of the match, Biko felt the team became a victim of their missed opportunities.
“The game was okay. We played well and were the better team for some spells, but we were not clinical enough and wasted our chances,” he stated.
Biko, who joined Nairobi United barely a month ago from Kariobangi Sharks, has now played three continental games in as many weeks.
“It is very different. This (CAF CC)is a very high level where every mistake is being punished. The players are also more mature and of better quality. The teams are equally very competitive, which makes it even harder,” he added.