Kenya’s Harambee Stars are this year’s GOTv Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup champions after emerging 2-0 winners over Sudan in the final played at Nyayo National Stadium on Thursday.
A goal either side of the half from man-of-the-match Allan Wanga secured Kenya their first Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup title since 2002. The victory meant even more for the Kenyan people on the day they were celebrating their 50th anniversary as an independent nation.
Wanga’s first goal came in the 35th minute, the AFC Leopards’ forward beating the Sudanese defence to a cross from Gor Mahia’s marauding defender David Owino before nodding in past a helpless Sudan keeper Abdelrahman Ali.
The match which was delayed for hours after Sudan officials and players were detained in their hotel for unpaid bills started with the hosts dictating the play. However, their long ball approach during the early minutes failed to trouble the Falcons’ backline led by Eltahir Elhag until the goal five minutes into the half hour mark.
Although 3-time champions Sudan looked a bit more dangerous after the interval, Wanga and Kenya put the game beyond their reach in the 69th minute. A well-engineered move on the right flank ended with AFC Leopards’ newly acquired player James Situma whipping in a cross for his would-be teammate Wanga who netted Kenya’s second goal of the game to send the hundreds of Kenyan fans who had braved the earlier rain into a delirium.
Stars wouldn’t be denied on the day as they easily saw off the rest of the time to win their 6th Cecafa Cup title, and first on home soil in 30 years.
Earlier in the day, guests Zambia took the runners-up spot after beating Tanzania 6-5 in a penalty shootout. The two teams had tied 1-1 in normal time sending the game into penalties where Chipolopolo keeper Joshua Titima emerged the hero with three penalty saves.
And That's thesteifmastertake!!
A goal either side of the half from man-of-the-match Allan Wanga secured Kenya their first Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup title since 2002. The victory meant even more for the Kenyan people on the day they were celebrating their 50th anniversary as an independent nation.
Wanga’s first goal came in the 35th minute, the AFC Leopards’ forward beating the Sudanese defence to a cross from Gor Mahia’s marauding defender David Owino before nodding in past a helpless Sudan keeper Abdelrahman Ali.
The match which was delayed for hours after Sudan officials and players were detained in their hotel for unpaid bills started with the hosts dictating the play. However, their long ball approach during the early minutes failed to trouble the Falcons’ backline led by Eltahir Elhag until the goal five minutes into the half hour mark.
Although 3-time champions Sudan looked a bit more dangerous after the interval, Wanga and Kenya put the game beyond their reach in the 69th minute. A well-engineered move on the right flank ended with AFC Leopards’ newly acquired player James Situma whipping in a cross for his would-be teammate Wanga who netted Kenya’s second goal of the game to send the hundreds of Kenyan fans who had braved the earlier rain into a delirium.
Stars wouldn’t be denied on the day as they easily saw off the rest of the time to win their 6th Cecafa Cup title, and first on home soil in 30 years.
Earlier in the day, guests Zambia took the runners-up spot after beating Tanzania 6-5 in a penalty shootout. The two teams had tied 1-1 in normal time sending the game into penalties where Chipolopolo keeper Joshua Titima emerged the hero with three penalty saves.
And That's thesteifmastertake!!
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