CAF Confede Cup: Homeboyz impress but blank against Al Hilal

The FKF Cup winners must now win away during the return leg in Benghazi next Sunday in order to advance to the second preliminary round where Rwandan side Rayon Sports awaits.

The Kenyans were featuring in the international stage for the first time in their history and they made a good account of themselves, only let down by a lack in cutting edge.

They enjoyed the lion's share of possession through the opening half although it seemed Al Hilal were likelier to score every time they broke forward.

Indeed the visitors nearly profited with their first break when Aboubakar Meelad's clever reverse pass set Kelvin Eze for the clearest chance of the game.

The striker knocked the ball round the goalkeeper and it appeared he had a strong case for a penalty after his body was caught by the on-rushing keeper Farouk Shikalo but the referee thought otherwise.

That call sparked fierce protests from the visiting officials and Eze stayed down injured albeit for a brief moment before he got up and play continued.

Homeboyz got a great chance almost immediately on the other end as Ambrose Sikuku broke clear only to be let down by his final touch which left the ball to stray into the hands of Al Hilal goalkeeper Husamedin Ahmed.

Ahmed produced a superb reflex save in the 19th minute to keep out Estone Esiye who had got on the end of a sweeping Homeboy move with a powerful header directed into the top left corner.

Homeboyz continued to press for the opener and their attacking approach won them a foul just outside the penalty area when an attempted cross was blocked by an Al Hilal hand.

Esiye stepped up to take it and got it up and over the wall but he could not beat Ahmed who made a sharp save to parry it to safety.

Abdikaldir Ghorab had endured a rather quiet half and he almost came up with the telling moment on the stroke of half time, dribbling into space and unleashing a curling strike that beat Shikalo but also missed the target by millimeters.

The second half was marked by some end to end action with possession evenly shared between the two teams who played with a greater sense of urgency.

The home support grew louder in behind Homeboyz's heightened efforts on the pitch but a goal remained elusive.

There was a lengthy stoppage late in the second half as Ahmed received treatment following a collision and then Homeboyz enjoyed long, fruitless spells inside the visiting third.

A final chance fell to Homeboyz in the form a freekick close to goal and a decent delivery from Esiye fell on the wrong head and cleared away.