Despite the narrow win, marauding captain of the Kenyans, Paul Were, missed two big chances, one unbelievable!
Still, it would have ended 2-0 but Deus Kaseke curved in round a poorly set wall by Leopards in a free-kick in the very last second of injury time to earn Mbeya City a consolation goal.
Leopards were so much the better team in a top class contest at Khartoum Stadium that, adding to their 2-0 win over Rwanda side Etincelles on Saturday, they became genuine favourites to contest for the title in this inaugural Cecafa [Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations] Nile Basin Cup.
The Kenyan representatives played a better game than their opener on Saturday.
Former Simba player Musa Mudde, the Uganda international, struck from long range in the 31st minute to reward a strong performance by Leopards right from kick off.
Then five minutes later, Were started a dribbling run from where Mudde had fired for his goal, but the Leopards captain dribbled right through all five defenders before side-stepping David Baruan in the Mbeya City goal.
In the second half, Were had the easiest of chances to merely tap in a squared ball from the right flank but implausibly his contact made the ball rise over the bar.
But with Noah Wafula – scorer in their opening game against Etincelles - Austin Ikenne and Bernard Mang’oli, Leopards have shown striking potency capable of pricing open any team.
Leopards read the game well and on realising Mbeya’s persistence in attacking only down the middle and never from the flanks, the Kenyans made alterations at half time.
Coach Pieter Hendrik de Jongh took off Joseph Shikokoti and brought in Martin Imbalambala who is normally perfect just in front of the Leopards back four.
Leopards should have scored at least two more goals and they were out of luck to keep the clean sheet. They are up against Academie Tchite of Rwanda in the last Group ‘B’ game today.
Other good looking teams in the tournament include SC Victoria University of Uganda who held Al Merreikh 0-0 in Omdurman and of course legendary hosts themselves, Al Merreikh.
Prince Nkusi headed into his own goal to cause the second defeat of the Rwanda club Etincelles when they fell to Burundi’s Academie Tchite 0-1.
Tchite, who had earlier lost 2-3 to Mbeya City, bought a life line to qualify for the quarter finals. Winless Etincelles will have to pull off a huge win over Mbeya City on Wednesday for mathematics to favour them for qualification.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
0 comments:
Post a Comment