Shabana squeeze past Kuta Collection as Murang'a Seal suffer embarrassing exit

Shabana FC booked their place in the quarter-finals of the Mozzart Bet Cup after edging out a spirited Kuta Collection FC side 1-0 in a tightly contested Round of 16 clash at Wang'uru Stadium in Mwea.

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A decisive first-half strike from Brian Michira proved enough to separate the two sides, as the Kisii-based outfit overcame a resilient Kuta Collection to finally break their Round of 16 curse and advance to the last eight for the first time in three attempts.

With the FKF Premier League title seemingly out of reach, Shabana approached the tie with renewed urgency, fully aware that the domestic cup presents their most viable pathway to silverware and a coveted slot in next season’s CAF Confederation Cup.

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Having fallen at this stage in the previous two editions, the Glamour Boys were determined to rewrite that narrative.

Kuta Collection, on the other hand, entered the contest as underdogs but with nothing to lose.

Largely composed of out-of-contract players and making their debut appearance in the competition, they embraced the occasion with confidence, pushing Shabana all the way in an entertaining encounter.

The match burst into life from the onset, with Shabana asserting early dominance.

Just six minutes in, Harambee Stars forward Brian Michira came close to opening the scoring after latching onto a pass from Danson Kiprono, only to see his volley sail inches wide.

Moments later, Kiprono himself threatened from a set-piece, but Kuta goalkeeper Mustapha Oduor remained alert to gather the delivery.

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Kuta gradually grew into the game and nearly stunned their opponents in the 16th minute when Erick Otieno unleashed a shot from the edge of the box that narrowly missed the target.

The former Shabana hit man remained a constant menace and came close again minutes later, connecting with a well-worked move involving Giovanni Lukhumwa and Patrick Ngunyi, but his effort deflected off target for a corner.

Shabana’s persistence eventually paid off in the 25th minute.

A swift counter-attack orchestrated by Kevin Omundi released Kiprono, who surged past his markers before squaring the ball to Michira.

The striker made no mistake, firing a low, first-time effort beneath Oduor to hand his side a deserved lead.

Buoyed by the breakthrough, Shabana continued to press.

James Mazembe nearly doubled the advantage just past the half-hour mark, but Oduor produced a fine save to keep Kuta in the contest.

The underdogs responded with chances of their own, with Ngunyi heading narrowly wide before Giovanni Lukhumwa missed by inches in the closing stages of the first half.

Shabana resumed the second half with intent, seeking to put the game beyond reach.

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Congolese forward Mambote Batshi Assis came close ten minutes after the restart, but his low effort drifted just wide with the goalkeeper beaten.

Kuta, however, refused to back down. Substitute Ibrahim Elias Ahmed nearly restored parity with a curling effort that went agonisingly off target, while Otieno continued to test the Shabana defence with long-range attempts.

As the game entered its final stages, Shabana had a golden opportunity to seal the win when Austin Odongo broke through on goal, only for Daniel Bichok to produce a timely intervention and deny the forward.

Kuta’s best chance to equalise came seven minutes from time, when Luke Namanda timed his run perfectly to meet a pass from Lukhumwa, but his attempted lob drifted narrowly wide, summing up a frustrating evening for the determined side.

Despite late pressure, Shabana held firm to secure a hard-fought victory and advance to the quarter-finals, keeping alive their hopes of clinching a maiden cup title.

For Kuta Collection, the defeat marked the end of a commendable debut campaign, one that showcased their potential despite the odds.

Mfalme FC 5-1 Murang'a Seal

Elsewhere, FKF Premier League side and last edition's third-place winners Murang’a Seal suffered a shocking exit after being thrashed 5-1 by Eldoret-based Mfalme FC.

The surprise yet emphatic result saw Mfalme progress to the quarter-finals, while Murang’a’s hopes of silverware this season were brought to a premature end.