The East African nation, who are taking part in the Confederation of African Football (CAF) competition for the first time in their history, took the lead in the 15th minute through Lawrence Ouma, but Morocco levelled matters courtesy of Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal in the 45th minute.
Morocco went 2-1 up through Yassir Zabiri in the 55th minute but Hassan Beja put Kenya level in the 71st minute. However, Reda Laalaoui scored what turned out to be the winner for Morocco in the 78th minute.
Morocco should have scored the fourth from the penalty spot in the 89th minute but Othmane Maamma saw his effort saved.
Rising Stars coach Salim Babu preferred Kariobangi Sharks goalkeeper Bernard Jairo to start between the sticks, while the defensive formation revolved around Collins Ochieng, who started from the left side, Manzur Okwaro and captain Amos Wanjala, who played in the middle while Baron Ochieng started from the right side.
In the midfield, Kevin Wanganya and Andreas Odhiambo took up the role while Hassan Beja, Adrine Kibet and Elly Owade played behind lone striker Lawrence Ouma.
Despite going into the game as underdogs, Kenya started the brightest side and should have taken the lead with only six minutes played. Beja exchanged neat passes with Kibet before putting Owade through on goal, but the latter took time to make a decision with the ball allowing Moroccan defender Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal to clear the danger.
Rising Stars continued to look lively and possessing the ball and they had another great opportunity in the 12th minute when Kibet, who currently plays for Spanish side Gimnàstic de Tarragona, spotted Beja unmarked inside Morocco’s dangerzone and he delivered a pin-point cross which Beja headed over the bar.
However, Kenya’s relentless pressure paid off six minutes after the missed chance when Ouma put them ahead, for their first-ever goal at this stage of the AFCON competition.
Kenya’s first corner of the game was taken short, with Kibet passing the ball to Odhiambo, who in turn delivered a right-footed cross that found Ouma. The striker rose above Morocco defenders to head past Yanis Benchaouch.
The goal stunned Morocco and they started to raid Kenya’s territory with their best chance of the half falling to Yassir Zabiri, but the Famalicao winger’s left-footed effort hit the upright side of the post before bouncing out for a goal kick. That sounded a warning to Kenya as Morocco intensified their search for a leveller.
Kenya goalkeeper Jairo was once again called into action in the 34th minute, this time making a superb double save to deny Zabiri, who had done enough to evade his two markers before the ball found Saad El Haddad, who attempted to curl his effort past Jairo, but he did well to punch the ball out for a fruitless corner.
But there was no denying Ait Boudlal, who put Morocco level in the 45th minute but after VAR had intervened. A ball from the middle of play initiated by Amine Boukamir was picked out by El Haddad but his low-footed strike was blocked by Jairo, only to the legs of Ait Boudlal, who slammed it to an empty net.
Despite the ball hitting the back of the net, the flag stayed down with calls of an offside, and VAR was called upon to intervene. After a review by South African referee Akhona Makalima, who was forced to check it again on the pitch side monitor, the goal was given enabling Morocco to proceed into the half-time break tied with Kenya at 1-1.
Unlike the first half where Kenya looked the better side in the opening exchanges, Morocco reversed the tempo at the start of the second period. The North Africans had a good chance in the 49th minute to take the lead for the first time, Reda Laalaoui shooting straight at the hands of Jairo despite goalscorer Ait Boudlal being in a good position to hit the target.
In the 52nd minute, Morocco came even closer to make it 2-1, a corner from Laalaoui finding Boukamir, whose powerful header rattled the woodwork before bouncing back into the field of play. Five minutes later, Kenya initiated their best chance of the half, a ball from Okwaro finding Beja but his effort could only hit the leg of a Morocco defender.
From the goal-kick, Morocco finally scored their second after a quick counter attack. A solo move from Ali Maamar, who had managed to twist his way past Kenyan defenders, found Zabiri, who rose highest to head home past Jairo.
Zabiri was injured in the process after landing his back on the goalpost, and was stretchered off immediately to be replaced by Hamza Koutoune. Kenya responded with a double change of their own, Owade, and Ochieng being withdrawn for Javan Omondi and Humphrey Aroko.
Kenya levelled matters in the 71st minute after a free-kick delivered by Kibet found Wanganya, who in turn rolled the ball to Beja. The AFC Leopards winger, who was unmarked, spotted the position of Morocco goalkeeper, who was slightly out of his position, before placing the ball into the roof of the net from outside the box.
However, a defensive mistake by Kenya, who hesitated to clear the ball after their captain Wanjala had been fouled under pressure to clear a dangerous cross, resulted in Morocco’s winner.
A cross from Maamar from the right wing, found Saad El Haddad, who collided with Wanjala while trying to sneak it past Jairo, and with Kenyan players reluctant to clear the ball, thinking that the referee will award a foul, Reda Laalaoui took the advantage to score and regain Morocco’s lead.
The goal needed another VAR intervention with Kenyan players surrounding the referee protesting the decision, but after another check, it was given to Morocco. They were not done yet as the advancing Maamar was fouled inside the box by Baron Ochieng, and referee Makalima pointed to the spot.
Maamar stepped up to take the resultant penalty that he had won, but Jairo dived the right way to save his kick. That was the last meaningful action of the game despite Kenya’s efforts to rescue a draw.
The victory kept Morocco top of the pile with three points, the same number as Nigeria, who are second after their 1-0 win against Tunisia. Kenya are third without a point, the same as fourth-placed Tunisia.
Kenya will next face Tunisia on Saturday, May 4th (kick-off time 18:00 EAT), before they wind up their group preliminary matches against Nigeria on Wednesday, May 7th (kick-off time 18:00 EAT).
