Francis Onyiso: Legendary Harambee Stars Keeper Recounts How He Tamed Jay Jay Okocha, Sunday Oliseh and Co

On January 12, 1997, Harambee Stars pulled off one of their biggest performances when they held a star-studded Nigerian team to a 1-1 draw in a 1998 World Cup qualifier in Nairobi.

On the day, the 60,000-seater Kasarani Stadium was full with reports, although not confirmed, saying those in attendance were over 70,000, showing not just the significance of the game but the desire from fans to get a glimpse of the players on the pitch.

Harambee Stars, then under the later German coach Reinhard Fabisch, had one of the best teams the country has ever assembled, but the Kenyan side could not come close to what Nigeria possessed.

PAY ATTENTION: Follow us on Google News, Stay informed with Latest Sport News

Having just won Olympics gold in Atlanta in 1996, the Super Eagles had what was termed the “Dream Team” that contained Jay Jay Okocha, Finidi George, Sunday Oliseh, Daniel Amokachi, Taribo West, Celestine Babayaro and Victor Ikoeba among others.

With that, it was a foregone conclusion among many that Kenya were in for a hiding in Nairobi. However, it was anything but.

Harambee Stars put up a gallant performance and scored first, Kennedy Simiyu finding the target after25 minutes, before Uche Okechukwu equalised 26 minutes later.

However, Nigeria would have walked away with three points had it not been for the top saves of goalkeeper Francis Onyiso. The goalkeeper had been thrust into the spotlight without much experience at that level as he had been playing second fiddle since his first call-up in 1994.

The former Ulinzi Stars goalkeeper has relived that moment of 29 years ago, explaining how he went about preparing for the game and what made him come up trumps against such quality players.

“You must be prepared mentally, physically and the other things will follow. When you train hard, you fight easy,” Onyiso said in an undated clip posted online by Edward Diang'a.

“I had trained well and had confidence that I would perform well against big names. That gave me confidence. When you know you are up against big names, you must work hard and prepare well.”

While Onyiso had confidence in his preparations, he admits there were butterflies in his stomach when both teams took to the pitch but he found a way to overcome it.

“When you play against such players, there must be some tension,” he added. “It is normal among players when you get onto the pitch and find new things, there must be some tension. However, as you continue to play, the tension disappears and you start to fight.”

Kenya would lose the corresponding fixture 3-0 in Lagos in June that year with Nigeria going on to qualify for the 1998 World Cup, where they reached the Round of 16.

However, the Kenyan team left a lasting mark while the game firmed up Onyiso’s place, not just in the team as ‘Kenya One’ for the next decade-and-a-half, but also cemented his legacy in the country’s football folklore.