CECAFA WCLQ: Heartbreak as Tanzania’s JKT rally from behind to end Kenya Police Bullets’ march to final

Reigning Kenya Women's Premier League champions Kenya Police Bullets will have to wait for another year to land a chance at featuring in the CAF Women's Champions League after faltering in their second attempt in the CECAFA Qualifiers.

Beldine Odemba's side, seeking to become the second Kenyan side to make it through to the continental showpiece, saw their dream shattered in the semifinal stage on Sunday, 14 September, as they went down 4-2 on penalties to Tanzania's JKT Queens following a 1-1 draw in regulation time at the Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi.

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Bullets, who were bidding to make it to back-to-back finals, led early through a Margaret Kunihira penalty in the 16th minute, but failed to make use of their numerous opportunities in front of goal to allow the visitors back in the game.

JKT, champions of the 2023 edition, got their equalizer seven minutes before the break through Jamila Rajabu, who headed into an empty net after Bullets failed to clear an in-swinging free kick inside the box.

Both sides were then guilty of spurning chances to win the tie, ultimately settling for post-match penalties, which were an eyesore for the Kenyan girls, but a flawless affair for JKT, who will face Rwanda's Rayon Sports in Tuesday, 16 September's final.

Match Report

The visitors would have got themselves in the lead after only five minutes, only for Winfrida Hubert to spurn her breakaway chance wide of Annedy Kundu’s goal.

Bullets, however, recovered from the partly slow start to gift themselves the opener, Emily Kemunto forcing issues at the back, prompting referee Awa Alphonsine to point to the spot.

Now with a lead in front of the home fanbase, Bullets bossed proceedings, and could have doubled their lead in the 24th minute when a teasing corner was whipped into the JKT goal, but Diana Wacera directed her back-post effort wide.

Having struggled to add to their advantage in previous games, the writing was on the wall that the hosts would get punished for their profligacy, and that came to pass when Kundu and her defense failed to track the flight of the ball from a dipping free kick, watching in agony as Rajabu’s header trickled into the net.

The alarm bells had been sounded, but it was the same old story from Bullets as they saw Diana Onyango whack over from point-blank range at the end of the half.

A stop-start second half was littered with more opportunities for the clearly nervy and disjointed hosts to go ahead, all resulting in the same fate.

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Wacera was the most guilty in failing to make a feast, as her headers from set-pieces lacked direction, two of them in the 57th and 90th minute going over the bar.

The enterprising Margaret Kunihira, playing off the right side, saw her teasing crosses miss a target with the goal gaping, before seeing her 87th-minute free kick graze the crossbar.

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JKT, on the other hand, held on with laudable discipline, forcing the tie to go all the way.

Once in extra time, nothing could separate both sides, with notable chances falling for Winfrida and Zaina Namuleme, but going over.

It felt the only way a winner would be found was through penalties, and so it was, as JKT scored all theirs, while Bullets were left with a bitter taste watching Kemunto's strike repelled, and Leah Andiema crash hers onto the post and out.