Having won the first leg 2-0 in Nairobi a fortnight ago, Rayan Anen pulled a goal back for the North African side at the start of the second half before a stoppage-time header courtesy of substitute Ben Maazouz levelled the second preliminary round fixture at 2-2, to take it to penalties.
United goalkeeper Kevin Oduor became the hero for the Nairobi-based side after he saved Etoile's seventh penalty before converting the decisive kick, to hand the promoted side a ticket to their first-ever group stage appearance in the CAF competitions.
Etoile started the brighter side with striker Moussa Senghor taking a long-range effort, which Oduor did well to gather.
The second chance also fell to Etoile, with Senghor heading wide after Kenya defender Alphonse Omija had done the spadework from the right side.
Ovella Ochieng, who had scored during the first leg, produced United’s first attempt on Etoile’s goal when his left-footed effort was not strong enough to trouble Sabri Ben Hassen.
Etoile came close again in the 24th minute when a goal-kick from Ben Hassen found Senghor, but before he could pull the trigger, Kevin Otiende came to United’s rescue with a superb clearance.
Etoile were awarded a free-kick from a promising position in the 30th minute; however, a delivery from Salaheddine Ghedamsi could not go beyond the towering United wall. The missed opportunity from outside the area came as a huge relief for United, who were defending every ball from Etoile.
At the start of the second half, Etoile continued to attack United, and in the 50th minute, they finally cut United’s advantage by breaking the deadlock.
A ball from the right wing found Rayan Anen unmarked outside the area, and he unleashed a one-time right-footed effort past Oduor.
The hosts then equalised deep into stoppage time, only for the Kenyans to prevail on penalties.
The Naibois arrived at this stage to represent their nation following success in clinching the domestic FKF Cup on the final day of last season.
Having been promoted to the FKF Premier League, they had one hurdle: to win a ticket to represent Kenya on the continental scene. They came up against Kenyan record champions Gor Mahia in the final, and despite the odds being against them, they wrote history by becoming the second promoted team in the history of Kenyan football after Mathare United to win the FKF Cup after defeating K’Ogalo 2-1.
Their first preliminary round pitted them against Ugandan Premier League side NEC FC, and the first leg clash was drawn away. Nairobi United scored at the death to snatch a 2-2 draw. The return leg in Nairobi saw the two sides battle to a 1-1 draw, with Naibois reaching the second preliminary round on the away goals rule.
United will be Kenya's only team in the group stages after FKF Premier League champions Kenya Police FC were eliminated from the Champions League following a 4-1 aggregate defeat to Sudanese champions Al Hilal SC.
Who else qualified for the group stages?
In other Confederation Cup matches on Saturday, Moroccan side OC Safi secured their group stage despite suffering a 2-1 defeat to Stade Tunisien in Rades on Saturday night.
The Tunisians produced a brave and dominant display at the Hamadi Agrebi Stadium, but their efforts were not enough to overturn the 2–0 first-leg deficit, meaning OC Safi progressed 3-2 on aggregate to reach the next round for the first time in their history.
Zambia Super League outfit Zesco United, Royal Leopards and USM Alger also progressed after negotiating high-pressure second-leg assignments in Botswana, Eswatini and Algeria.
Zesco held Jwaneng Galaxy 1-1 in Lobatse to complete a 5-4 aggregate win, Leopards edged DR Congo’s Maniema Union on penalties following a 1-1 draw, while USM Alger overturned a first-leg deficit with a commanding 3-0 victory over Academie de FAD in Algiers to go through 3-1 overall.
