Mozzart Bet Cup: Gitego brace propels AFC Leopards to cup semifinal

AFC Leopards on Sunday afternoon put the miseries of last weekend’s Mashemeji Derby behind them as they produced a fine comeback at Dandora Stadium to edge out Compel SC and book their place in the Mozzart Bet Cup semifinals.

Tomas Trucha’s side began the game on their worst-ever footing as they conceded after 25 seconds, but steadied themselves with goals from Kayci Odhiambo and a double from Arthur Gitego to wrap up a comprehensive 3-1 victory.

Odhiambo, who was celebrating his 21st birthday, headed home a delightful corner from Clifton Miheso after 26 minutes to erase any memories of an unmarked Phillip Simiyu charging goalwards to smack in a quick worldie past Humphrey Katasi.

Gitego then gave Leopards the lead a minute to the break from another Miheso set-piece, before wrapping up the contest with a right-foot curler in the second half after a quick counterattack.

The win for Ingwe sees them get to the domestic cup semis for the second year running, and now hold a decent opportunity at claiming silverware for the first time since 2017.

They face Saturday’s other winner, Kenya Police in the last four later next month.

Match Report

With the odds flipped within the first minute of the game, the shock on Fred Ambani’s face-the assistant on the AFC Leopards bench - told the story of how his team’s defence and keeper had been caught out by surprise, even as they chased a route back in the contest.

Not that the Division One representatives were going to back down, however, as they got close once more in the fourth minute; Simiyu capitalizing off a Gideon Werre slip to shoot straight at Katasi.

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Soon enough, Brian Wanyama was making a clearance after another Compel barrage, but that seemed to be the art of calming storms.

Hassan Beja came close with a shot over the bar in the seventh minute before Kayci Odhiambo with a decent chance from a freekick blasted wide.

The tie was slowly turning the Leopards' way, and after a couple of deflected crosses from Randi Bakari and Jaffary Owiti, the equalizer came in from a Miheso corner that found a lurking Kayci Odhiambo, who headed his effort in.

Now spurred on by the crowd, Leopards almost came close with a Miheso freekick that was cleared by Muhsin Kilwake but was not to be denied another pathway to goal as his corner from the right found Bakari, who, after scuffing his shot, paved the way for Gitego to stick a right boot to force the ball into the net for a deserved Ingwe lead.

Odhiambo’s imprints in the tie were pretty visible as he consistently made offensive runs, and almost made a bursting stride into the box count early in the second half, only for Miheso, full of industry, saw his shot blocked.

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Simiyu then with a rare Compel chance from a freekick struck wide, and again had an opportunity to get back in the game through Bramwel Simiyu who couldn’t direct his strike into an empty net after Katasi had bobbled around with the ball.

And from scoring from their set-pieces, Leopards this time scored from a Compel set piece, hurrying forward in a swift counterattack that resulted into Beja squaring a ball for Gitego to turn and rifle a shot for his second, and one that put him in the driving seat for the tournament’s golden boot.