Muhoroni upset Ulinzi to nail Top 8 final berth

Muhoroni Youth booked their place in the KPL Top 8 final after edging out Ulinzi Stars on the away goal rule following their 1-1 stalemate in the second leg of their clash played at Nairobi’s Nyayo Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Midfielder Abdalla Hamisi scored the opener for the sugar belt based club in the first half before Churchil Muloma levelled in the second half.

The teams drew 0-0 in the first leg that Muhoroni hosted at the same venue a week ago as they celebrated a first cup final in their history under care-taker boss, Tom Juma.

“We played well and took our chance when it came. We knew we needed a goal since we held them to a barren draw at home. We can go on and win the cup since we eliminated Sofapaka now we have removed Ulinzi. The final is everybody’s game.

“For now we focus on the GOtv Shield. It’s the duty of management to decide whether it’s Bobby Ogolla or I who will be in charge of the next assignment. If he comes, we shall welcome him with open hands, he is a top coach in the country,” Juma said amid reports the former Nairobi City Stars coach, John ‘Bobby’ Ogolla is being lined-up as the team’s head coach.

“We needed to rise and take our chances like Muhoroni did. For now we shift our focus elsewhere, I will handle every match at time but we must improve,” his opposite number, Robert Matano offered.

Muhoroni threatened first in the third minute with Sammy Ndung’u’s shot striking the side netting after beating his marker Geoffrey Kokoyo.

John Mark Makwatta then lost his footing just before he pulled the trigger when he was left with Muhoroni’s custodian Timothy Igweta to beat with the latter stating in place of the suspended Farouk Shikhalo.

Returning Oliver Ruto was then unlucky after he smashed the right post in the 23rd with Igweta well beaten to deny the military men the advantage.

It got worse when Muhoroni punished Ulinzi almost immediately when Hamisi put his side 1-0 up after capitalising on a lapse of concentration.

Ezekiel Otuoma should have cancelled the lead in the 28th but fired wide inside the six yard box after a pin-point cross from Makwatta.

Muhoroni’s captain Francis Ocholla was denied a second by Ulinzi skipper James Saruni five minutes before the break.

Matano introduced Kevin Amwayi just after the restart, resting Stephen Waruru before bringing on Eric Apul for Boniface Onyango seeking an equalizer and soon , Matano’s side tested Igweta in the 50th and 52nd with no success.

Muhoroni were then dealt a blow when top-scorer, Wycliffe Ochomo limped out in the 62nd with Ugandan Andrew Sekayombia taking his place.

The Soldiers finally found the breakthrough in the 73rd through Muloma, whose shot on the rebound bounced over Igweta who was on the ground to level matters.

They could not force a winner as Muhoroni who finished fourth last season to qualify for the Top 8 gave themselves a change to win their first silverware in history as Gor Mahia and Tusker await.