- Nairobi United edged Mara Sugar 1(3) – 1(1) on penalties in the FKF Cup semifinal held on Sunday, June 1, at Dandora Stadium.
- The NaiBois will now face Gor Mahia in the FKF Cup final.
- A win would not only crown them domestic cup champions but also secure a spot in next season’s CAF Confederation Cup, marking a remarkable rise for the ambitious side.
Nairobi United secured their place in the 2024/25 Football Kenya Federation (FKF Cup) final, after dispatching yet another top-flight team Mara Sugar, in a tense semifinal clash held on Sunday, June 1, at the Dandora Stadium.
Having already cut a swathe through other Premier League giants – Tusker FC, KCB, and Kakamega Homeboyz in earlier rounds, the NaiBois sustained their formidable momentum by edging past Mara Sugar via post-match penalties, following a 1-1 stalemate in regular time.
Both goals came in the second half. Nairobi United drew first blood through super-sub Michael Karamor, but their lead was short-lived as Lameck Omondi restored parity for Mara Sugar with a brilliant strike.
In the penalty shootout, Nairobi United converted three of their spot-kicks through John Otieno, Brian Ogutu, and Rodgers Angal. Gideon Omondi squandered his opportunity by blasting over the bar.
Mara Sugar, who had eliminated defending champions Police FC via penalties in the quarterfinals, faltered under pressure missing three of their four attempts.
Only Fredrick Ng’iela found the back of the net, while Erick Juma, Harun Thomas, and Robert Obaga were denied by Ernest Mohammed superb saves.
Mohammed’s heroics ensured Nairobi United booked a showdown with record FKF Cup winners Gor Mahia in the grand finale.
Nairobi United dominate the FKF Cup semifinal match at Dandora
In Dandora, the match began with Nairobi United dictating proceedings in the opening 30 minutes, fashioning three clear-cut chances-two for Duncan Omalla and one for Isaac Omweri but they failed to capitalize.
Mara Sugar’s defense held firm, and goalkeeper Evans Omondi played a pivotal role in keeping the scoreline level during the early onslaught.
Omalla came close again with a thunderous effort, but Evans Omondi produced a spectacular save to tip it over for a corner, which ultimately came to nothing.
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United were clearly in the ascendency but lacked the cutting edge to make their dominance count.
Just before halftime, head coach Nicholas Muyoti was forced into an early substitution, replacing the injured Michael Jairo with Brian Ogutu in the 40th minute.
Despite their first-half superiority, Nairobi United missed several chances, while Mara Sugar resorted to speculative long-range efforts that failed to trouble Ernest. The opening half ended with both sides deadlocked.
In the second half, Nairobi United resumed with renewed energy. Muyoti made another tactical change, introducing Michael Karamor and it paid immediate dividends.
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Just ten minutes after coming on, Karamor broke the deadlock, heading home from a well-delivered corner to give United the lead.
However, Mara Sugar responded swiftly. Only four minutes later, Lameck Omondi unleashed a stunning long-range effort from the left wing that beat Wendo and leveled the score.
The remainder of the match saw both teams display disciplined defending and strategic caution, clearly anticipating the possibility of penalties. The deadlock persisted until the final whistle.
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With this victory, Nairobi United already promoted to the top-flight league they will now lock horns with Gor Mahia in the FKF Cup final.
A win would not only crown them domestic cup champions but also earn them a spot in next season’s CAF Confederation Cup, marking a remarkable rise for the ambitious outfit.
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