Head coach of the Kenyan football national team Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee has recounted how failure to beat Nigeria during a World Cup qualifying match in 1998 saved spectators from possible stadium collapse.
The Super Eagles were forced to a 1-1 draw by the Harambee Stars at the Moi International Sports Complex in Kasarani 23 years ago despite parading some of the continent’s biggest exports around Europe.
In a game that was attended by the then president, Daniel Arap Moi, Mulee said the Chinese, who constructed the stadium, had warned that Kasarani could have collapsed had Kenya scored the second goal.
He said: “Remember it is a 60,000 capacity stadium and the people who were allowed to enter were well over 80,000.
“The constructors warned Kasarani could have gone down had Kenya scored another goal due to the impact of the fans,” Mulee told Jalang’o TV.
Ken Simiyu scored Kenya’s goal while Jonathan Akpoborie equalised for Nigeria after he headed home a corner kick in the 48th minute to draw level with the hosts.
The Super Eagles went on to make their second appearance at the mundial having survived an early blow from a shock 1-0 defeat to Guinea – who trailed them by one point to emerge runners up in a group which also had Burkina Faso.
