Bandari fail to open Equity account as minnows knock-out Cup champs
AFC Leopards and surprise package Equity Bank booked a date in the semi finals of the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Cup after seeing off their opponents by an identical 1-0 wins at Ruaraka yesterday.
As Leopards sipped Tusker on a cold day, the shocker came in form of Equity Bank, a Division One side, eliminating reigning champions Bandari.
Equity made Bandari look ordinary and gave their all, Sunday Katumba cashing on a goalkeeping blunder by Justine Ndikumana in the 51st minute to silence the dockers.
Bandari should have taken an early lead in the 11th minute but Hassan Abdalla was late to connect an inviting pass from Wilberforce Lugogo.
On the other end, Branson Wangai of Equity found himself unmarked in the six-yard box but blasted the ball over the bar.
Bandari then carved what was the best chance of the first stanza, when a wonderful piece of creativity by William Wadri was neatly dealt with by the impressive Equity custodian Timothy Ngugi.
Still pressing after half time Bandari wasted yret another chance, this time Dansoin Namasaka misfiring from ten metres out.
Clear-cut opportunities
But Equity continued demonstrating tenacity particularly in the defence where Oscar Lusomo, Levian Ochieng showed a lot of maturity, mostly frustrating Wadri and Abdallah Hassan.
Bandari coach Andre Casa Mbungo said the team has been left devastated after losing to a nondescript side.
“They (Equity) got the only chance and translated it into a goal while we wasted clear-cut opportunities.
This is football and we now go to the drawing board. Our focus now is on the league since a chance to represent the country in CAF Confederation Cup has gone up in smoke,” said Mbungo.
Later at the same venue, Tusker lost to Leopards in the most painful of ways by conceding a 33rd minute penalty which was converted by Issac Kipyegon after Eugene ASike handled the ball in the box.
Tusker coach, however, commended his team despite the defeat, saying they were victims of bad luck.
“My team played well but lost. We now have to shift our focus to the league where we are one of the title contenders,” said Matano.
Leopards started slowly and gained ascendancy as the highly physical match wore on.
Tusker though were the hungrier of the two teams in the early exchanges with Henry Meja particularly making a tough combination.
