Key Takeaways
- Nairobi United must defeat KCB on Sunday to keep their FKF Cup defence on track.
- The club hopes to return to the CAF Confederations Cup after losing all group matches last season.
- Johnson Sakaja owns the Nairobi-based outfit, which won the cup while playing in the second tier last year.
Nairobi United manager Godfrey Oduor has outlined his squad’s ambitions to establish the club as a dominant force in Kenyan and African football. The former Harambee Starlets coach insists that retaining the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Cup would mark significant progress toward this target.
The Nairobi-based outfit currently sits under the ownership of Governor Johnson Sakaja. They captured the domestic cup last season while competing in the National Super League, following the path of previous second-tier winners Mathare United and Sofapaka. That triumph earned them promotion to the Premier League and a debut appearance in the CAF Confederations Cup.
Although they exited at the group stage without securing a victory against Wydad Casablanca, Azam, and AS Maniema, Oduor views the experience as valuable preparation. He confirms his players are determined to advance further if they qualify for the tournament again.
The team secured their continental ticket by defeating Gor Mahia 2-1 in last year’s final. They navigated through the preliminary rounds successfully, becoming only the second Kenyan club after Gor Mahia in 2018 to reach the group phase from the qualifying stages.
Sunday’s quarterfinal against KCB presents the next hurdle in their title defence. Robert Matano, a highly decorated coach in local football, leads the Bankers. Oduor acknowledges the difficulty of the fixture but expresses confidence in his team’s preparation.
The United camp enters the match with strong momentum. They remained unbeaten throughout April in league action, recording three victories and two draws. They also eliminated Posta Rangers with a 2-0 win to reach this stage of the competition.
“We credit the players and technical staff for last season’s success,” Oduor stated. “Reaching the quarterfinals shows we are on track to retain our trophy. Training has gone well, and the squad is ready to face KCB.”
Three victories separate Nairobi United from consecutive cup triumphs and a return to continental competition.