Mbeya City
AFC Leopards beat Mbeya City of Tanzania Mainland 2-1 on Monday night but it would have been much more as the marauding captain of the Kenyans, Paul Were, missed two big chances, one unbelievable! Still, it would have ended 2-0 but Deus Kaseke curved in round a poorly set wall by Leopards in a free-kick in the very last second of added time to earn Mbeya City a consolation goal.
Leopards were so much the better team in a top class contest at Khartoum Stadium that, adding to their 2-0 win over Rwanda side Etincelles on Saturday, they became genuine favourites to contest for the title in this inaugural Cecafa [Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations] Nile Basin Cup. The Kenyan representatives played a better game this Monday than their opener on Saturday.
Mudde put Leopards in the lead
Musa Mudde, the Uganda international struck from long range in the 31st minute to reward a strong performance by Leopards right from kick off. Then five minutes later, Paul Were started a dribbling run from where Mudde had fired for his goal, but the Leopards captained dribbled right through all five defenders before side-stepping David Baruan in the Mbeya goal.
In the second half Were had the easiest of chances to merely tap in a squared ball from the right flank but implausibly his contact made the ball rise over the bar. But with Noah Wafula – scorer in their opening game with Etincelles – Austin Ikenne and Bernard Mang’oli, Leopards have shown striking potency capable of pricing open any team.
RightSubstitution by Pieter
Leopards read the game well and on realizing Mbeya’s persistence in attacking only down the middle and never from the flanks, the Kenyans made alterations at half time. Coach Pieter Hendrik de Jongh took off Joseph Shikokoti and brought in Martin Imbalambala who is normally perfect just in front of the Leopards back four.
Leopards should have scored at least two more goals and they were out of luck to keep the clean sheet. They are up against AcademieTchite of Rwanda in the last Group ‘B’ game on Wednesday.
Also capable
Other good looking teams in the tournament include SC Victoria University of Uganda who held Al Merreikh 0-0 in Omdurman and of course legendary hosts themselves, Al Merreikh.
Own goal for AcademieTchite
Prince Nkusi headed into his own goal to cause the second defeat of the Rwanda club Etincelles when they fell to Burundi’s AcademieTchite 0-1.
Tchite who had earlier lost 2-3 to Mbeya City bought a life line to qualify for the quarter finals. Winless Etincelles will have to pull off a huge win over Mbeya City on Wednesday for mathematics to favour them for qualification.
It’s Sudan Vs South Sudan ‘battle tonight’
Unpredictable Malakia football club from South Sudan will this Tuesday evening take on Al-Merreikh of Sudan in the last group ‘A’ match to be played under flood lights at 8:00 pm.
Malakia won their last game 3-0 against Police of Zanzibar. Head coach RamziSebit believes his club can frustrate the Sudan’s well stocked side with seven foreign players from Ghana, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Mali.
“We are a club and so they are. They may have the big names but we know their playing style…they will have no advantage until it’s over” said Ramzi.
If Malakia wins this game, they may go top of the group depending on the results from the first clash between Police and Victoria University. Police who have lost their first two matches 3-0 to Al-Merreikh and another 3-0 to Malakia will need to beat Victoria University on a margin bigger that 6 goals to remain in contention for qualification into the quarter stage.
Scorers:
AFC Leopards: Musa Mudde (30’), Paul Were (35’)
Mbeya City: Deus Kaseke (90+6)
Academie: Prince Nkusi (31’, own goal)
Results:
AcademieTchite (1) VsEtincelles (0)
Mbeya City (1) Vs AFC Leopards (2)
Today:
Police Vs Victoria University (5:30pm)
MalakiaVs Al-Merreikh (8:00pm)