AFC Leopards claw Chemelil in Kisumu

Tindi Biko of Chemelil Sugar FC (right) holds off AFC Leopards’ Kamura Robinson during their Sportpesa Premier League match at Moi Stadium, Kisumu on January 17, 2019. AFC won the match 2-1. PHOTO | ONDARI OGEGA |

What you need to know:

  • His Chemelil counterpart Francis Baraza blamed his side's loss to silly mistakes.
  • "Every side played well. Like Leopards, we got our chances but we failed to capitalise on them and they (Leopards) took advantage of the mistakes we made to beat us," said Baraza.

Visiting AFC Leopards on Wednesday picked up their second win of the season when they beat Chemelil Sugar 2-1 in a thrilling midweek SportPesa Premier League at Moi Stadium in Kisumu on Wednesday.

Jaffari Owiti and Eugene Mukangula were on target for Leopards, while Francis Ochola scored Chemelil's only goal.

Leopards head coach Marko Vasiljevic could not hide his joy in his post-match comments, saying his charges gave their best in the match.

"This is a very important win for us, we scored early which gave us a good control of the game until the end," said Vasiljevic

His Chemelil counterpart Francis Baraza blamed his side's loss to silly mistakes.

"Every side played well. Like Leopards, we got our chances but we failed to capitalise on them and they (Leopards) took advantage of the mistakes we made to beat us," said Baraza.

The contest began on a slow note with neither side managing a shot on target in the first 15 minutes. Francis Ochola latched on a poor delivery by a Leopards player to break on the right wing, but his dangerous cross to his waiting compatriots in the box was intercepted by Isaac Kipyegon, who cleared the ball to safety.

As the match continued to wait for a shot on target, Leopards goalkeeper Jairus Adira was forced to come out of his line in the 19th minute to clear the ball to safety.

Finally, the first shot on target arrived in the 26th minute when Eugene Mukangula picked a pass at the centre to send a long range effort with his left-boot which Chemelil goalkeeper Kevin Otieno pairred over the crossbar.

His compatriot Wyvone Isuza failed to find the target with a header from the resultant corner-kick.

Two minutes later, Jaffari Owiti capitalised on a miss-communication between goalkeeper Otieno and his defenders to fire Leopards ahead.

Owiti ran between the two defenders, picked the ball to beat Otieno with a low finish at the centre of the goalpost.

Ingwe were awarded a free-kick a few meters from the box in the 34th minute, which was well worked-out by Robinson Kamura, but custodian Otieno was alert as Chemelil also failed to capitalise on a foul the other end five minutes later.

Looking to turn fortune on his side, coach Baraza made early substitutions in the second half, bringing in Felix Oluoch for Musa Oundo.

But their hopes of denying Leopards their second win of the season suffered a blow in the 58th minute, when Mukangula collected a poor clearance by Chemelil defenders to beat Otieno with a high finish at the centre of goal.

Chemelil were unlucky not to have halve the deficit two minutes later when Clifford Omondi's long-range attempt hit the crossbar.

Ochola scored Chemelil's first goal from the spot in the 78th minute after Kamura had handled the ball inside his area, while attempting to clear Maurice Wandera's cross from the left.

The goal looked to have rejuvenated the hosts as they pilled pressure on Leopards in an attempt to salvage a point from the match, but they failed to convert from the chances they created in the dying minutes of the game.