Harambee Starlets’ groundbreaking victory in Tunisia revives memories of past heroics
Harambee Starlets made history on Wednesday, securing Kenya’s first-ever competitive away victory against North African opposition with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Tunisia. Tereza Engesha’s early strike and Lilian Awuor’s heroic goalkeeping ensured Kenya advanced in the WAFCON 2026 qualifiers. Their triumph in Sousse rekindles memories of rare but memorable performances by Kenyan teams in North Africa, from Gor Mahia’s 1987 Mandela Cup heroics to Harambee Stars’ famous defensive stand against Algeria in 1996.
Harambee Starlets achieved a historic milestone in Kenyan football on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, with a 1-0 away victory over Tunisia, keeping their hopes of qualifying for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) alive.
Needing a win to progress to the Second Round of qualifiers after a goalless draw in Nairobi, Starlets arrived in the Tunisian city of Sousse determined to defy the odds. Tereza Engesha struck in the third minute, and goalkeeper Lilian Awuor produced two stunning penalty saves as Kenya secured their first-ever competitive away win against North African opposition - be it at the national team or club level.
For perspective, Harambee Stars have played 24 away matches against Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia. Their best previous result was a 1-1 draw against Egypt in an AFCON 2021 qualifier, a match where Michael Olunga’s equaliser in the 67th minute cancelled out Kahraba’s opener. However, that result ultimately proved inconsequential as Kenya failed to qualify for the tournament.
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Despite Kenya’s struggles in North Africa, there have been moments of defiance. Starlets’ victory in Tunisia now joins a select group of historic performances by Kenyan teams on North African soil, where hostile crowds, technically gifted opponents, and controversial officiating have often made victory seem unattainable.
One of the earliest triumphs came in 1987 when Gor Mahia conquered Esperance de Tunis on away goals to win the Mandela Cup. After a 2-2 draw in Tunisia, K’Ogalo needed only a draw in Nairobi, which they achieved with a 1-1 result, making them the first - and still only - Kenyan club to lift a continental trophy.
Nine years later, Harambee Stars stunned Algeria in the 1998 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Under Montenegrin coach Vojo Gardašević, Kenya won 3-1 in Nairobi with second-half goals from Vincent Kwarula, Henry Motego (penalty), and Musa Otieno. In the return leg in Algeria, Stars needed to avoid a two-goal defeat to advance. What followed was one of the most disciplined defensive performances in Kenya’s football history.
With Gardašević deploying a now-infamous "9-0-1" formation, Kenya frustrated Algeria throughout. The task became even harder when Francis Oduor was sent off in the 52nd minute, reducing Stars to 10 men. Abdelhafid Tasfaout eventually broke the deadlock in the 81st minute, but despite going down to nine men in stoppage time after Allan Odhiambo’s red card, Kenya held on to progress 3-2 on aggregate. Goalkeeper Mathews Ottomax left the pitch with a broken nose, having thrown himself into every challenge to keep Stars’ dream alive.
Gardašević’s tactical masterclass saw Kenya eliminate a North African giant, but his tenure was short-lived, as he was later replaced by German coach Reinhard Fabisch.
Now, with Harambee Starlets breaking new ground in Tunisia, they have a chance to build on this historic victory by securing WAFCON 2026 qualification. That would not only cement their place in Kenyan football history but also prove that the North African barrier can finally be broken.
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