NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 26 — Exactly one year ago today, on February 26, 2025, the Stade Olympique de Sousse in Tunisia became the backdrop for one of the most legendary individual performances in the history of the Harambee Starlets.
It was the second leg of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifiers, and Kenya arrived in the North African heat carrying a fragile 0-0 draw from the first leg in Nairobi.
The stakes couldn’t have been higher: win and move to the final round or face another four years of “what ifs”.
The Starlets didn’t wait to be invited. Just six minutes into the match, striker Terry Engesha, who had been drafted into the starting lineup for this specific away mission, capitalized on a defensive lapse by the Tunisian backline. With ice in her veins, she cut inside and unleashed a low, ferocious drive that slipped past the Tunisian custodian to give Kenya a vital 1-0 lead.
But as the North African sun dipped, the pressure rose. The lead was slim, and Tunisia, the “Eagles of Carthage”, began to circle. What followed was a goalkeeping performance for the ages. Lilian Awuor, Kenya’s number one based in Romania with Farul Constanța, turned the goalmouth into a fortress.
In the 44th minute, the referee pointed to the spot after a foul in the Kenyan box. Up stepped Chirine Lamti, but Awuor guessed right, diving to her left to parry the ball away and keep Kenya’s advantage intact heading into the break.
The drama, however, was only beginning. In the 78th minute, under controversial circumstances, Tunisia was awarded a second penalty.
With the home crowd roaring and the momentum shifting, Sabrine Ellouzi stepped up to take the kick.
Once again, Awuor stood tall, producing another stunning save to deny the hosts an equalizer.
Thanks to those two penalty saves and Engesha’s early strike, Kenya secured a historic 1-0 aggregate victory. That win in Sousse was the psychological turning point the team needed.
Buoyed by that result, the Starlets went on to dismantle The Gambia 4-1 on aggregate in the final round later that year, officially ending their 10-year absence from the continental stage.
Today, as the Harambee Starlets finalize their preparations for WAFCON 2026 in Morocco (set to kick off next month), the “Sousse Miracle” remains the moment that defined their journey. It was the day the world learned that to beat the Starlets, you have to get past Lilian Awuor, and as Tunisia found out, that is easier said than done.
