KCB bundle Ulinzi Stars out of Top 8

PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO KCB players ledd by striker Mungai Kiongera (left) celebrate their second goal against Ulinzi Stars during their Top Eight quarter-final match played at Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos on April 19, 2014. KCB won 2-1.

What you need to know:

  • Misfiring soldiers’ coach laments team’s lack of fire power after ouster from knock-out tournament
  • This was the bankers’ first win this year after a sloppy start to the season. The poor run that has confined the team to the bottom of the league table, cost former coach Abdallah Juma his job early this week.
  • KCB have now joined holders Tusker and AFC Leopards in the semis. The last team in the final four will be known today when Gor Mahia takes on Thika United at the same venue.

Goals by Crispinus Onyango and Paul Kiongera either side of the break earned KCB a 2-1 win over Ulinzi Stars in a Top 8 quarter finals match at Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos on Saturday.

This was the bankers’ first win this year after a sloppy start to the season. The poor run that has confined the team to the bottom of the league table, cost former coach Abdallah Juma his job early this week.

Earlier in the match, Ulinzi’s Kevin Amwayi and Oliver Rutto wasted good chances to put their team ahead before Onyango pounced on a loose ball to open the bankers’ account in the 26th minute.

Onyango would later turn provider when he fed Kiongera to double KCB’s lead in the 89th minute.

“I had a scoring opportunity in the first half and took advantage of it. Then late in the match I picked out Kiongera in a good position for the second goal. We are happy with the result,” Crispinus told Sunday Nation Sport after the match.

GLORIOUS CHANCE

For the entire match, Onyango and former Gor Mahia forward Kiongera were a handful for their Ulinzi markers.

Ulinzi’s Rutto wasted a glorious chance in the first half after Amos Mwamburi’s header had been punched out by the KCB goalkeeper Zachariah Onyango.

Both teams came into the second half rejuvenated, although it’s KCB who came closest to scoring first in the 53rd minute through Kiongera’s effort. But the bankers suffered a big blow when custodian Onyango was injured and had to be replaced by Caleb Wafula.

Until then, Onyango had given an inspiring performance by standing tall between the sticks and keeping out everything that the soldiers threw at him.

The new keeper was then forced into immediate action when he denied Geoffrey Kokoyo a scoring chance. Rutto was twice unlucky after hitting the woodwork in the latter stages of the match.

On the other end of the pitch, Ulinzi goalkeeper Francis Ochieng was in contrast a bundle of nerves and was lucky to stay on the pitch early in the second after he was only booked for a high tackle on Kiongera just outside the box.

The soldiers got their consolation goal in stoppage time when Allan Abulala headed home Stephen Waruru’s pinpoint cross.

Ulinzi coach Robert Matano blamed the loss on his team’s blunt striking force.

“We need an out and out striker in the team, somebody who is able to score goals. We are disappointed to exit the tournament but we have to soldier on to our focus on the league now,” said Matano.

KCB have now joined holders Tusker and AFC Leopards in the semis. The last team in the final four will be known today when Gor Mahia takes on Thika United at the same venue.