Stima cage Leopards to rub salt in their wounds

A late Fredrick Shimoyo winner for Western Stima piled more misery on AFC Leopards after inflicting them a 2-1 defeat in a SportPesa Premier League (SPL) clash at Kisumu’s Moi Stadium on Wednesday.

Stima went ahead in the 29th minute of the first half through Fredrick Nyarombo before Ingwe got the leveller six minutes after the breather through Clifford Miheso.

However, Shimoyo short-circuited any hopes Leopards had of salvaging a point after capping Stima’s dominant display by notching the winner two minutes from full time to derail Belgian Ivan Minnaert’s early season title-charge.

The result that left Leopards stuck on 18 points in third compounded a week of misery for the Den after the club were docked a point from their aborted match against Ulinzi Stars by the Kenyan Premier League.

Defeat also rubbed salt in Ingwe’s wounds coming barely 24 hours after the club’s title-sponsorship deal with betting firm SportsPesa was suspended indefinitely following acts of hooliganism that caused the abandonment of Saturday’s match against Ulinzi at Mumias Sports Complex.

Speaking to Citizen Digital after the match, an elated Western Stima coach Henry Omino rued the wasted scoring opportunities in the first half they completely dominated but congratulated his players for delivering three points.

“We thank God for this win, we prayed for it and He has given us. In the first half we lost many chances and it pressurized even me when the equalized. We made effective changes that bore fruits, we are happy the win has taken us to 17 points and elevated us on the log,” he told.

Stima’s striker Ocholla and Baron Oketch were constant threats at Leopards goal in the early spell of the game, forcing keeper Lucas Indeche to make heroic saves to keep his side in the game but he could not do anything when the former gave his side a deserved lead.

Suspended Eugine Ambulwa was conspicuously missing in Minnaert’s defense as the Belgian’s decision to start with rookie Alfred Wekesa upfront resting Harambee Stars international Miheso backfired.

A restless Minnaert had to substitute Kevin Migunde who was starting his first match of the season with Allan Kateregga in the 39th to add strength in his striking force as the power men kept coming.

At the restart, Miheso came on for Wekesa, and his presence was immediately felt with his intelligent runs that soon produced the equalizer, shooting past Stima’s custodian Gabriel Andika after Evans Bengo blocked his initial effort as Leopards took charge of the match.

Andika was subsequently substituted injured as he desperately tried to force out Miheso’s finish from bulging the net for the goal that made it 1-1.

The waves of attack by the 13-time champions forced Omino to deploy a defensive shield in front of his defence with almost every outfield player behind the ball as his team turned waited to hit Ingwe on the break.

Realizing time was running out to force a winner, Minnaert brought on his last hope; Lamine Diallo for Omune but despite dominating the chances, his charges could not force in a second goal.

It got worse when Shimoyo scored against the run of play in the 88th to leave Ingwe staring at a third defeat of the season following their reverse to Posta Rangers and the Ulinzi decision that went against them.

The hosts should have made it 3-1 to further deflate the Leopards in added time but Hebert Kopany’s goal was chalked off for offside.

Stima lie fourth on the table, just a point behind Leopards with SPL midweek action continuing tomorrow where the top-of-the-table clash between leaders Mathare United and second placed Tusker FC who are separated by a single point will be the focus.

Victory for either will put some distance between them and Leopards who are seeing their wheels come off in a title-chase they looked set to have a huge say before the collapse of form and certainly, the high price they paid for hooliganism.

Report compiled by Steve Odindo in Kisumu, Jacob Icia in Nairobi