Kenya Police FC were lucky to survive an inexplicable capitulation against Somalia’s Mogadishu City Club in the second leg of their 2025/26 CAF Champions League preliminary round second leg encounter at Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday.
Police, playing in the Champions League for the first time, lost 2-0 to the 11-time Somalia Premier League champions but were saved by the 3-1 win they registered in the first leg that Mogadishu City hosted at Nyayo.
Kenya Police progressed to the final qualifying round on the away goals rule after the 3-3 aggregate result.
The Kenyan champions will play either Jamus of South Sudan or Sudan's Al Hilal Omdurman in the next stage for a chance to qualify to the lucrative group stage.
There was heavy police presence at the venue as security agencies demonstrated keenness to avoid a repeat of the unfortunate incidents that marred the first leg of match, during which Mogadishu City Club fans engaged in heated arguments with Kenya Police FC fans, fought among themselves, harassed Kenyan women, and desecrated the Kenyan flag.
The poorly attended match went on without any ugly incident save for a half time skirmish when the two sets of fans exchanged missiles.
Mogadishu City, coached by 27-year-old Kenyan Abdirahman Ali Abubakar, took the lead in the 33rd minute through Yusuf Issa Adan and levelled the encounter on aggregate in the 56th minute after Ibrahim Bangura converted a penalty.
Mogadishu City have three Kenyan players in their ranks but all -- goalkeeper Innocent Lihasi and midfielders Mark Khadohi and Telvin Maina -- were left on the bench. Khadohi and Maina had started the first leg match.
It was a Somali club's first victory over a Kenyan club since Lavor Publici defeated Gor Mahia 1-0 in the second leg of their 1981 African Cup Winners' Cup second round encounter, a tie Gor Mahia won 3-1 on aggregate.
Speaking after the match, Kenya Police FC coach showed a quick desire to move on from the result.
"Most important thing is that we have qualified. Focus now shifts to our league matches which will help us improve our match fitness before our next CAF assignment," he said.
His counterpart, Abubakar, rued his team going out on the away goals rules.
"It is too painful to be knocked out this way after the hard work by my players. CAF should scrap the away goals rules like Uefa did. We did everything right today by denying Police space and playing as a compact unit. We will now focus on defending our league title," he said.
Passes were misplaced in plenty. Crosses were headed away. Cross field balls went out for throw-ins. Cutbacks were inaccurate and comfortably cleared to safety.
Defenders were quick to recover from lapses, with their reaction taking the sting out of dangerous through passes.
The Eritrean centre referee Henok Tesfamikael Zerom was hesistant to punish fouls. Players flew into tackles and Zerom waved play on.
Zerom's assistants -- his compatriots Adel Salih Hamid and Aron Gebrekrstos - made their presence felt by lifting their flags to announce several offside calls.
In the 33rd minute, Mogadishu City Club also made their presence felt. They recovered possession deep in their half, then strung three neat passes after beating the press from Kenya Police FC's forward line.
The last of those passes put Adan clean through on goal. The winger outpaced Kenya Police FC's defence as he carried the ball to the box before comfortably slotting it past Khadime Ndiaye.
The Burundian took out his anger on his substitution bench, sending some of his substitute players to warm up.
Police almost equalised in the 39th minute after Daniel Sakari's throw-in caused a melee in Mogadishu City's box. The ball fell kindly to David Simiyu, scorer of the law enforcers' in their 3-1 first leg victory, but he lashed it high from six yards.
Mogadishu City played the remainder of the first half protecting their lead with desperate clearances. Yet, it was Police who started the second half with more desperation.
A lapse in concentration left their defence scrambling to contain speedy Adan, who won a penalty after he was brought down by Joash Onyango.
Onyango was booked for the foul and the visitors doubled their lead through Ibrahin Bangura who converted the penalty in the 56th minute, wrong-footing Ndiaye. Mogadishu City's goal was preceded by Ndayiragije making three changes. He brought on David Okoth, Edward Omondi, and Eusters Chasara after taking off Eric Zakayo, David Wamalwa, and Alvin Mangeni.
Soon after going behind again, he brought on Moise Mbombo for Albert Otieno, adding firepower to his attack.
Police's nervous fans sighed in the stands as their team's chances went begging. The police band kept them in an upbeat mood, playing tune after tune.
A chance for Police to restore their aggregate lead went begging yet again in the 69th minute. Edward Omondi carried the ball into the box but he squirmed as he went for the killer touch. Mogadishu cleared but the ball rolled to the edge of the box where it found Tobias Omondi who curled it narrowly over the bar.
Police continued to attack aggressively but efforts to restore their aggregate lead did not bear fruit. Marvin Nabwire hit the side netting in the 86th minute and he was almost made to regret the missed opportunity when Hassan Adan shot horribly wide from the six-yard box, squandering a golden opportunity to complete a miraculous comeback for Mogadishu City.
The final whistle came as a massive relief for Kenya Police who were clearly on the ropes and in danger of a humiliating elimination.
