AFC Leopards pounce on Mathare United
AFC Leopards’ Noah Wafula (right) celebrates his second goal against Mathare United with teammate Jacob Keli in their GOtv Shield tie on August 23, 2014 at Nyayo Stadium. AFC won 3-2. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |
What you need to know:
- The match was interrupted by heavy rain for 50 minutes.
- Leopards will now meet second tier side Ligi Ndogo in the next round.
Kenyan giants AFC Leopards on Saturday beat Mathare United 3-2 in a rain-lashed GOtv Shield match at the Nyayo National Stadium.
The match was interrupted by heavy rain for 50 minutes.
Noah Wafula struck a brace in the first half while evergreen midfielder Charles Okwemba snatched the winner to send the big cats into the next round.
Experienced James Situma helped Mathare half the deficit by sliding in an own goal.
Edwin Ombasa scored Mathare’s second goal in the 71st minute when he steered his shot beneath Patrick Matasi’s arms.
Okwemba, an influential player in Leopards with a penchant for scoring, had the last word of the match when he headed in Wafula’s long cross seven minutes to the final whistle.
SPEEDY FORWARD
Leopards will now meet second tier side Ligi Ndogo in the next round.
Speedy forward Wafula was impressive from the kick-off, threatening Mathare goalkeeper Robert Mboya in the second minute.
Wafula however made no mistake two minutes later when he stole into the box to meet Bernard Mangoli’s cross to steer it past Mboya, who had been drawn out of his line.
Wafula was not done yet. Three minutes later captain Martin Imbalambala set him up with a neat pass near the mouth of goal that he sent home with aplomb.
Imbalambala exited the pitch shortly after with an injured nose. The heavens then opened just before half time.
The rains continued to pound as the second have began, delayed by almost an hour.
Mathare United resorted to long balls, with Harrison Mwendwa and Tetieh Olesu leading the front line.
