Lavatsa at the double as Kenya down Swaziland

Adel Amrouche finally chalked up his first competitive win as Harambee Stars easily fended off the feeble challenge from Swaziland on Tuesday to cruise to a 2-0 win in their second game at the ongoing Cosafa tournament in Zambia.

Gor Mahia forward Edwin Lavatsa gave good account of himself with both goals in the opening moments of either half to secure the precious result for Kenya in the competition.

“This result gives us the right momentum to stake a realistic claim (in this competition). Yesterday’s game was tough because we did not even have a chance to have a feel of the stadium after we arrived,” said Lavatsa after the game. “Am happy with the goals but, and proud that we won.”

Safest bet

After settling for a draw in their opening game, both teams had their work cut out for them heading into this engagement, played under the perfect weather conditions at the Arthur Davies Stadium, in the Copper Belt town of Kitwe’s CBD.

And they both knew a win the safest bet if the ambition to reach the knock-out phase was to be maintained.

And Swaziland, perhaps the fitter of the two teams, considering their playing schedule over the past week, took off their blocks in breathtaking fashion, with Darren Christine forcing a save by the second-choice Jerim Onyango inside the first minute after running clear through the left flank.

Harambee Stars, however, were clinical enough to score with their first real attack of the game, as stand-in captain, Peter Opiyo, laid off a square pass to debutante Bandari’s Omar in the fifth minute.

The Bandari fullback then laid a diagonal ball onto Edwin Lavtasa in the box, and the lanky forward lobbed the ball past a stranded Swazi custodian Mokhlane Gwebu for Kenya’s first goal of the evening.

Christine was proving a menace after switching flanks to the left, and on the twelfth, a marauding run from the deft winger blasted a fruitless corner off David ‘Calabar’ Owino.

A lull period in the second period of the first half coupled with few chances saw both teams head into the dressing rooms for the break with a solitary goal advantage.

Amrouche then pulled off the ineffective Rama Salim for James Situma just after the break who was just in time to witness the second goal from close range.

A lovely run on the left hand side from Aboud again and a measured cross evaded almost everybody in the D-Area, but for Lavatsa. The Gor Mahia forward connected the ball with an exquisite volley that found its way to the bottom-left corner of Gwebu’s net.

Substitute Andrew Murunga and striker Mungai Kiongera missed clear cut chances thereafter but, in the end, Kenya didn’t have to engage second gear to see out the match.

“I thought we had a chance had my players kept the ball to the ground, seeing as this is the department in which Kenya struggled against Lesotho the other day, said Swaziland coach Vallerie Berrin”

Kenya face Botswana next in the final game of group B on Thursday afternoon at four.