- Michael Olunga scored a hatrick as Kenya won 3-1
- Zimbabwe had scored the opener via an own goal
- Coach Firat impressed by the team
National football team Harambee Stars beat Zimbabwe’s Warriors 3-1 at the Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe, Malawi, to clinch the four-nations invitational tournament.
Captain Michael Olunga, who was celebrating his 30th birthday scored all three goals for Kenya, who had to come from a goal down to win the duel. Defender Joseph Okumu had scored into his own net, but Olunga equalized just before halftime and scored two more in the second half.
Both sides finished the match with 10 men, with Zimbabwe’s Teenage Hadebe and Kenya’s Richard Odada, both sent off for second yellow cards.
The Warriors coach Norman Mapeza was also sent off for protesting a decision not to award his team a penalty early in the second half.
Stars head coach Engin Firat said he was happy with how his team responded, especially after a slow start to the game in the first half.
“For us, the most important thing was to learn. We saw some boys who ate the beginning of the match couldn’t handle the pressure and we didn’t start the match well. We didn’t play as how we had prepared. But we grew into the match and it was great to see how we reacted,” the coach said, speaking after the game.
Harambee Stars beat Malawi in first match
Harambee Stars skipper Michael Olunga celebrates one of his three goals
Kenya had beaten hosts Malawi 4-0 in the semi-finals, with Olunga hitting twice, to book a date in the final against Zimbabwe, who had beaten Zambia 6-5 on penalties after a 2-2 draw in regulation time.
Stars however found themselves enduring a poor start to the game, and were behind after barely three minutes. Okumu directed the ball into his own net as he tried to cut off a cross from the right, giving Zimbabwe an early lead..
The early goal saw the Warriors play with some bit of more confidence and they almost scored a second in the ninth minute when Tino Kadewere pulled a piledrive from distance, but Patrick Matasi made a full stretched save to turn the ball behind for a corner.
After 25 minutes, coach Firat made a change, pulling out Chris Erambo who was earning his second cap and bringing in Kenneth Muguna in a bid to stabilize his midfield.
Stars levelled at the stroke of halftime, when Olunga headed home from a precise Timbe cross. Going to the break tied, gave the Kenyan boys improved confidence.
In the second half, there was a long stoppage six minutes in when the Zimbabwe bench protested what they thought was a penalty and the confrontations led to coach Mapeza being sent off and Odada yellow carded.
Zimbabwe reduced to 10 men
Action between Harambee Stars and Zimbabwe
Four minutes later, Zimbabwe were reduced to 10 men when Hadebe was sent off for a second yellow for dissent. Kenya made a bid to use the one man advantage, by pushing Zimbabwe to defend in their own half.
Odada came close to an equalizer for Harambee Stars in the 59th minute when he struck a shot from range but the keeper calmly collected. Four minutes later though, Stars were ahead.
Timbe was once again integral for Harambee Stars as he made a run on the right to cut in a cross which the keeper spilled and Olunga pounced to score on his weaker right foot.
The tables almost turned in the 73rd minute when the numbers were balanced, Odada red carded for poking out an elbow as he tussled for the ball.
But, Harambee Stars were on the ascendancy in terms of tempo and dominating possession and Olunga almost had a third in the 82nd minute when he tried to flick Timbe’s cross at the near post but it was blocked.
Three minutes to the end though, the birthday boy put the icing on the cake for Harambee Stars. Timbe’s shot from inside the box was blocked by the keeper and the rebound rolled to Olunga on the volley, the skipper striking a super shot that flew into the roof of the net.
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