NSL: Late penalty drama earns Mwatate United a point against Equity
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Reading Time: 3min | Tue. 28.10.25. | 18:43
The point, however, lifts Mwatate to 16th place on two points, while Equity Bank move up to 12th with four points ahead of Wednesday’s fixtures
Mwatate United fans will have to wait longer to witness a first win since their return to the second tier after their side battled to a dramatic 2-2 draw against National Super League (NSL) newcomers Equity Bank FC at Wundanyi Stadium on Tuesday, 28 October.
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The fixture, expected to provide a turning point for the Taita Taveta–based outfit, mirrored their previous struggles as their display was full of effort, missed chances, and a touch of controversy at the end.
Equity made the perfect start, finding the back of the net inside the opening minute through a Mwatate own goal.
Ndayikeza Abdi curled in a teasing ball into the box that caused chaos in the goalmouth before deflecting off a defender and into the net, leaving goalkeeper Peter Assava rooted.
The Bankers continued to press with intent and almost doubled their lead in the 18th minute, forcing desperate clearances from the Mwatate backline.
But under the guidance of head coach Evans Mafuta, the home side responded strongly and got their reward in the 24th minute when Brian Ngeno rose highest to meet a cross, powering a header past the goalkeeper to level the scores.
The equaliser sent the Wundanyi Stadium into a frenzy.
Fans jumped from their seats, waving flags, their chants echoing across the terraces as they celebrated what felt like a long-awaited breakthrough.
Both teams pressed relentlessly for another goal before the break, trading attacks in a high-tempo contest.
Mwatate’s forward line pushed hard through Ngeno and Adam Mohammed while Equity threatened through Abdi and Omar Kipngetich.
However, neither side could find a cutting edge, and the first half closed at 1-1 after a fiercely contested spell of end-to-end football.
The second half picked up right where the first left off.
Just a minute after the restart, the impressive Abdi, who had been a constant menace, finally wrote his own name on the scoresheet.
The winger picked up a through ball, shrugged off his marker, and fired low past Assava to restore Equity’s advantage at 2-1.
The goal injected belief into the Bankers, who began to control possession and push the hosts deep into their half.
They strung together confident passes in midfield, using their wide players to stretch Mwatate’s defence.
The hosts, meanwhile, struggled to hold onto the ball, their counterattacks fizzling out in midfield as Equity dominated the tempo.
Mwatate’s midfield trio of Salim, Busaka and Onesmus worked tirelessly to regain control, but the Bankers’ crisp passing and positional discipline made it difficult for the home side to create clear-cut chances.
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As the clock ticked toward full-time, Equity looked certain to claim their second win of the season, until drama struck.
In the dying minutes, Mwatate were awarded a contentious penalty after a tangle in the box that left Equity players protesting furiously.
Play was halted for several minutes as the visitors surrounded the referee in disbelief, demanding clarification.
Eventually, calm was restored, and up stepped Ngeno, who made no mistake from the spot, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way to complete his brace and make it 2-2.
At the final whistle, frustration was written all over the faces of the Equity players and technical bench, convinced that victory had been unfairly snatched from them.
Mwatate, on the other hand, celebrated the late reprieve that earned them a vital point at home.
The draw leaves Mwatate winless in five matches.
Their campaign began with a narrow 1-0 defeat to Migori Youth, followed by a 2-2 draw with Nzoia Sugar FC, a 3-0 loss to MCF FC, and a 3-1 defeat to Naivas FC last weekend.
The point, however, lifts them to 16th place on two points, while Equity Bank move up to 12th with four points ahead of Wednesday’s fixtures.
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