Nairobi — Amos Nondi came off the bench to score a 90th minute winner as national football team Harambee Stars beat Asian champions Qatar 2-1 in a friendly match played at the Al Janoub Stadium in Doha on Thursday evening.
Hassan Al Haydos had equalized for the 2022 World Cup hosts after Joseph Okumu had broken the deadlock for Stars, but Nondi made Kenya have the last laugh in a match that they felt more at home than away due to the huge Kenyan presence in the Qatari capital.
According to Football Kenya Officials in Doha, Kenyans bought 11,000 of the 15,000 tickets sold for the game, and they indeed brought in their noise, supporting the Stars from start to finish.
Stars broke the deadlock in the 19th minute when Okumu bulleted home a header from inside the box off a well weighted Kenneth Muguna corner.
Before the goal, both sides had chances to score. In the 13th minute, Michael Olunga, strutting off in the country where he plays club football had a glorious chance to give Kenya the lead. A brilliant pass from Eric Ouma behind the defense put him through on goal, but the skipper's shot one on one with the keeper was meek, the custodian blocking with his feet.
Ouma once again played provider, this time sending Masud Juma through three minutes later, but once again, the forward saw his shot blocked by the keeper's legs.
Qatar also had a chance before the goal, when off a corner Bassam Al Rawi's header flew inches over the bar.
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Stars made their flurry of chances count, with Okumu's first international goal taking Stars 1-0 up and sending the stadium into frenzy.
However, Qatar fought back and they levelled in the 34th minute when skipper AL Haydos scored from the penalty spot after a foul inside the box.
In the second half, coach Engin Firat made changes in personnel, pulling off Elvis Rupia for Ayub Timbe as he went for a more direct winger.
But, the hosts had the upper hand as they enjoyed a better start off the blocks. Three minutes in, a defensive blunder almost saw the hosts go into the lead when Ahmed Alaa picked the ball at the edge of the box, but his quick shot and turn went inches wide.
In the 67th minute, Abdulaziz Hatem's snap shot from the edge of the box was deflected behind for a corner by Okumu and from the resultant setpiece, Qatar almost scored. A corner was started quick and substitute Akram Afif danced his way on the right before delivering a strong low cross into the are.
Olunga almost turned the ball into his own net as he tried to cut out the cross, but luckily for him the familiar woodwork came to his rescue.
Stars have a fight as the game wore on, with Firat changing personell again, Nondi and Duke Abuya coming on to bolster the midfield.
And it was Nondi who would make a huge impact as he side footed the ball home from three yards out in the 90th minute, thanks to some hard work from Olunga.
The Kenyan skipper muscled his way on the left before slapping a strong low cross that was turned home by the Armenia-based Nondi.
The victory is a massive morale booster for Stars and coach Firat, especially coming against a side ranked way higher than them.
