- Leopards beat Shabana 1-0
- Kaycie Odhiambo scored the winning goal
- They will take on Division One side Compel FC in the quarter finals
AFC Leopards’ hopes for a trophy in their 60th year of existence remained alive, as they beat Shabana FC by a solitary goal to progress to the quarter finals of the FKF Cup in Kisumu.
Kaycie Odhiambo’s lone goal in the second half was enough to hand Ingwe victory in the round of 16 match played at the Mamboleo Showground, and earn them a title to the last eight. Leopards have not won the title since 2017, when they won the same tournament, under coach Robert Matano.
Current Leopards tactician Thomas Trucha believes the team has what it takes to break the seven year trophy drought, and was full of praise for the resilience shown by his team.
“We are hungry to win something this season. We want to go all the way. I told the guys if we beat Shabana, the doors are open. We have three more rounds to go and we will give our best,” said the coach after the game.
He disclosed that a change in tactic especially on set pieces was crucial to their win.
“I told them that we needed to change the delivery of our freekicks and corners to either the first post or the middle, because how we were doing it in the first half was easy for Shabana to defend. We did that and after 10 minutes we got the goal,” the coach said.
His Shabana counterpart Sammy Omollo was dejected with the result. “We had talked about defending of set pieces and how we should position ourselves but a slight lapse in concentration and marking cost us. I still don’t understand how we let Kaycie head the ball. We played very well for most parts of the game but just one mistake cost us.”
Leopards will now take on third division side Compel FC in the quarter finals, the latter having beaten National Super League outfit Mara Sugar 2-0 in the other round of 16 match in Kisumu.
Leopards with many scoring chances in the first half
Jaffary Owiti of AFC Leopards in action against SHabana.
Leopards had some chances in the first half, where they should have had at least one goal.
In the 28th minute, Arthur Gitego did well to win the ball on the left and squared to Jaffary Owiti, but the winger took a first touch six yards out of goal allowing the Shabana backline to quickly close in and clear.
A minute to the break, Peter Odhiambo in the Shabana goal pulled a brilliant double save, first to deny Gitego who headed strongly from a Kaycie Odhiambo freekick and on the rebound did well to parry an attempted clearance by his defender Prince Ayieko which almost landed in his own net.
Prior to that, Owiti, Gitego and Musa Oundo had taken strikes at goal which were well handled by the keeper while Clifton Miheso’s curl on his weaker right foot flew just wide.
Shabana had two clear chances, an early shot on the volley from Dimpol Omamo being deflected behind for a corner while the fleet footed Omuri had a shot from a quickly taken throw fly just wide.
Kaycie score winning goal for Leopards
Clifton Miheso of AFC Leopards in action against Shabana
In the second half, Leopards got into the lead in the 57th minute. Miheso floated in a brilliant cross off a freekick, one that Shabana had conceded cheaply on the right side of their defense.
With a goal to chase, Shabana made changes, with Dennis Ongeri and Enock Agwanda coming in to boost their attack. Agwanda’s entrance was particularly vital for Shabana as they chose to use his strength on the long throws to force out an equalizer.
However, Leopards held their own to ensure they guarded their slim advantage to make it into the last eight.
Meanwhile in other results, John Mark Makwatta scored an 83rd minute goal against his former side, as Ulinzi Stars beat Ulinzi Stars 2-1 to also make it into the last eight.
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