AFC down Sofapaka, as Bandari sink Mathare United
AFC Leopards climbed up to fifth place after a 2-1 win over Sofapaka at the Mumias Sports Complex.
The win means that Anthony Kimani’s charges have completed a double over the 2009 Champions who have had a lacklustre season.
After their giant-slaying display against Gor Mahia, Sofapaka came into this match riled up to upset the 13-time Kenya champions, but found a foil in the form of Elvin Rupia.
Rupia, taking the place of Makwatta, who made a switch to Zambia’s Zesco United, has hit the ground running since signing for Ingwe in January. And he turned in another brilliant performance as AFC saw off Sofapaka.
Second-half rally
After a scoreless first half full of missed chances, Rupia made no mistake six minutes after the start of the second half. Rupia took advantage of some lax defending to put AFC Leopards ahead with a neat finish.
Sofapaka rallied but fell two behind when Rupia again hit the mark in the 78th minute.
Jedinak Nana scored Sofapaka’s consolation in stoppage time but AFC saw off the game to seal their tenth victory in 21 games. The win leaves AFC on 5th place with 37 points. However, if Ulinzi beat Kisumu All-Stars tomorrow at Afraha, AFC could find themselves back in sixth.
Sofapaka meanwhile, are eighth, with 30 points.
Mathare sink in Mombasa
Meanwhile, Mathare United found the going hard as they lost to Bandari 3-1 at Mbaraki Stadium, Mombasa. The win ended Bandari’s run of four games without a win – two draws and two losses.
In the sweltering Mombasa heat, Bandari took advantage of their home support to race 2-0 clear in the first half.
Dan Guya whipped in a cross that Hassan Abdalla headed home to hand the home side the advantage against the run of play in the 39th minute. William Wadri, who had missed an earlier chance, then swept home after Namasaka’s pass to put Bandari 2-0 up. Wadri then missed another chance as the half came to a close.
Bandari keeper then had to be on top of his game to deny Mathare a goal that would have put them back in the contest. Twice after the restart, he put the Slum Boys at bay, as they turned up the heat in the second half.
But he could do nothing as Chris Oduor then picked out Mwangi, who finished neatly in the 70th minute to pull one back for Mathare. That goal set the game up for a thrilling finale.
David Owino missed a chance in the 77th minute to equalise before Danil Lual fired wastefully over the bar from a Kevin Kimani free-kick.
And Mathare was made to pay for these misses as Darias Msagha set up Yema Mwana to score Bandari’s third for a convincing win.
The win lifts Bandari up to 11th, on 23 points, six behind Mathare United on 10th.
In other results, KCB were 3-1 winners over Posta Rangers at Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos. Western Stima and Kariobangi Sharks settled to a drab 0-0 draw at Moi Stadium in Kisumu.
No comments