Sofapaka 1-0 AFC Leopards: Ingwe’s downward spiral continues

Sofapaka 1-0 AFC Leopards: Ingwe’s downward spiral continues

AFC Leopards have registered a fourth straight defeat in the Football Kenya Federation Premier League after Sunday’s 1-0 loss to Sofapaka at Wundanyi Stadium.

Joe Waithira took advantage of a first-half error by Ingwe’s defenders to fire home the only goal that separated the former league champions.

David Otieno did well to set up Alex Imbusia through on goal in the eighth minute, but the latter’s hard shot went out from close range. 

Another chance for Batoto ba Mungu came in the 12th minute but Sunday Ikhekai could not find the target at the edge of the box with AFC Leopards defenders nowhere close to him.

The 2009 Premier League champions continued to dominate but were not clinical enough to convert their chances into goals. One such chance came in the 30th minute when Titus Achesa spotted Waithira in a promising position, but the forward took too long to strike and that gave Ingwe’s Joachim Oluoch time to close in on him and clear the danger.

Sofapaka goalkeeper Fredrick Odhiambo was called to action in the 40th minute when Peter Thiong’o launched a curling shot that the custodian tipped over the bar.

AFC Leopards’ most notable chance was an attempt by Brian Wanyama in the 42nd minute, but the midfielder’s low drive was cleared off the line by Sofapaka, who had retreated to defend deep in their area as Ingwe’s confidence grew in the last minutes of the first half.

The home side scored in the second minute of the first half’s injury-time when AFC Leopards committed a simple blunder at the back that gave Waithira a chance to break the deadlock.

Patrick Aussems made Ingwe’s first change when he introduced Boniface Mukhekhe for Wanyama in the 58th minute while Batoto ba Mungu’s first substitution was in the 66th minute when Robert Kharisa came on for Waithira before Ambrose Sifuna was introduced in place of Imbusia.

In an attempt to have more men upfront, striker Maxwell Otieno replaced midfielder Dan Musamali in the 70th minute for AFC Leopards. After the change, Ingwe came close to getting an equaliser when Thiong’o fired from close range, but Odhiambo’s quick intervention in goal saved the day for Sofapaka.

A last chance for the visitors came in the 86th minute when Lewis Bandi and Thiong’o combined to create a way past Sofapaka’s defensive line, but the home side assembled fast and intercepted the ball.

Sofapaka stood strong against last-minute attacks and finally secured their second win of the season.

With the victory, Batoto ba Mungu have risen from 13th position to 10.