In an unexpected turn of events, South Sudan secured a historic 1-0 victory over Kenya during an international friendly at the Moi Sports Centre Kasarani on a Tuesday evening. The youngest nation in Africa celebrated its first-ever win against their Kenyan neighbors on Nairobi soil.
The sole goal of the match came courtesy of Ugandan-born Titto Okello, who found the net for the Bright Stars. Meanwhile, the Harambee Stars, who had shown promise with a 1-2 victory over Qatar in Doha the previous week, displayed a worryingly lackluster performance.
As the final whistle blew, South Sudan reveled in their remarkable triumph in the football world, leaving Kenyan fans at Kasarani bewildered. The match also ignited a debate about the true standing of the Harambee Stars as they prepare for the November 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The frustration was palpable among Kenyan fans, who couldn’t help but wonder why the team’s previous mojo had faded so quickly. Coach Firat, too, appeared lost in the closing moments, pondering why their possession of the ball failed to translate into goals.
Engin Firat, overseeing his eighth match as coach of the Harambee Stars, made a solitary change to the squad that had faced Qatar. He introduced Brian Mandela to partner with Joseph Stanley Okumu at the center-back, filling the void left by Johnstone Omurwa, who was excused to join his Portuguese club after the Qatar duty in order to secure his “hard-earned place.”
The game took a surprising turn within the first minute when Okumu’s miscalculated back pass to Mandela was intercepted by Okello, who swiftly found the net, beating KCB goalkeeper Bryne Odhiambo.
This uncharacteristic mistake by the French League 1 side Reims defender, one of the heroes of the Doha victory, where his powerful header had opened the scoring, set the stage for Kenya’s response. The Kenyan side launched a flurry of attacks, earning nine corners by halftime, but South Sudan’s solid defense thwarted their efforts.
Elvis Rupia made an impressive run down the right channel, delivering a pinpoint cross to an unmarked Muguna in the middle, but keeper Malik Majak’s excellent save denied Muguna a goal.
Richard Odada’s standout performance in the midfield helped orchestrate moves that kept Masoud Juma and Rupia busy on the flanks. Juma thought he had earned a penalty, but the referee allowed play to continue, considering the circumstances.
Just before halftime, Okello had a chance to double South Sudan’s lead but sent the ball over the bar after a skillful maneuver outside the box.
Two minutes into the second half, Firat made a substitution, bringing in Amos Nondi as Kenya continued to press for an equalizer.
South Sudan’s Mawa Christopher stood out in defense, using his athleticism to thwart Kenyan forwards, particularly Juma, who was operating on the left.
As the clock ticked and South Sudan maintained their defensive posture, Firat made more changes, introducing Duke Abuya for Muguna and Clark Oduor for Juma. Oduor, playing only his second match for Kenya, sought to make an impact.
In a crucial move, Odada spotted an unmarked Olunga outside the box, but the Kenyan captain was surprisingly slow, allowing the South Sudan keeper Majak to block his path to the goal.
Firat then played his last card, bringing in Moses Shummah of Kakamega Homeboyz with just 10 minutes remaining to replace Anthony Akumu. Shummah had a chance to level the score but couldn’t beat the keeper to a cross from Abuya two minutes after coming on.
In the 88th minute, the Bright Stars nearly doubled their lead from a free-kick, but the shot from Adebo Wani went wide after bouncing off the Kenyan defense wall.
However, it was Harambee Stars who had a golden opportunity in stoppage time, as Nondi delivered a fine cross across the goal, but no one managed to connect, including Olunga, who made a desperate diving attempt to head the ball in.
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