Mathare beat Leopards in shoot-out to retain crown

Spot-on Mathare United on Saturday edged AFC Leopards 4-2 on post-match penalties after a 1-1 draw in regular time to retain the Kenyan Premier League Under-20 title at a packed Camp Toyoyo grounds, Nairobi.

With the win, the junior Mathare United side, who won the inaugural edition in August after slaying Gor Mahia 1-0, stamped their authority as the best team locally at the junior level football.

Star midfielder Ahmed Abdalla put Mathare ahead in the 15th minute with a well-placed free kick but the Leopards cubs levelled with five minutes left on the clock.

Vincent Oburu delivered a cross from the left flank and Austine Oduor made no mistake tapping in to end a frustrating spell of misses and send the match to extra time.

Oduor’s goal injected life to the Ingwe faithful, who had thronged the venue but even with their cheers, fate was cruel to the cubs who had otherwise showed remarkable progress. It was a case of so close yet too far as they missed their chances in the lotteries.

Lennox Ogutu, Abdalla, Samuel Semo and David Owino got their spot kicks right while the cubs only converted two through Erick Kinuthia and Odhiambo, while Robert Masai and Harun Nyakah missed.

"What can I say? I have nothing, no words,’ hurting Leopards coach Boniface Ambani said after the heart-wrenching defeat.

His victorious colleague Yusuf Chipo was magnanimous in his conquest. 

“This was a tough match but I’m glad we have defended the trophy,” he said.

“The work continues, though five players will be promoted to the senior side, the rest will be retained in the junior team.”

The final lived to its billing with thrilling football displayed by either side. Mathare’s Peter Wanyonyi was particularly outstanding and came close to scoring an astonishing goal in the second half.

Picking pass in the danger area, Wanyonyi controlled the ball with a deft touch, left his marker for dead before blazing his trigger just inches above the cross bar much to the chagrin of his team’s technical bench.

Gor on the other hand settled for third place after beating Sofapaka 3-1 in the third place play-off earlier at the same venue to take home Sh 100,000.

Young goal scoring machine Hillary Ojwang scored K’Ogalo’s opener from the spot before Ibrahim Mao levelled matters, also with a penalty, but simultaneous second half strikes from Nahashon Thiongo and Reagan Odede handed Gor the win.

Champions Mathare were handed Sh500,000 and a trophy, Ingwe took Sh200,000 while Ojwang claimed Sh20,000 after emerging the top scorer with six goals.