Harambee Stars Lift 2017 CECAFA Challenge Cup
Kenya’s Harambee Stars lifted the 2017 CECAFA senior challenge cup marking only the seventh time that Kenya has lifted this trophy(1975, 1981, 1982, 1983, 2002, 2013, 2017).
In the starting line-up for Kenya were Kogalo players Musa Mohamed and George Odhiambo. Ernest Wendo came on as a substitute. Also in action were Gor Mahia prospects Samwel Onyango and Wesley Onguso.
Additional Reporting from goal.com
Regular and extra time had nothing to separate the two teams who had settled to a 2-2 draw
Kenya needed post match penalties to win 3-2 and claim the 2017 Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup.
Keeper Patrick Matasi was the hero as he kept out three penalties to hand his team the trophy. Regular and extra time had nothing to separate the two teams, who had settled to a 2-2 draw.
Harambee Stars came into the match as favourites considering their form in the competition, but again the Zanzibar Heroes could not be underrated thanks to their heroics in the regional competition.
It took just five minutes for the hosts to hit the back of the net and send thousands of fans to crowd nine. Whyvone Isuza won the ball from thirty five yards, and as he drove towards the danger zone, Abdulaziz Makame fouled him giving Kariobangi Sharks youngster Ovella Ochieng a chance to hit the target.
The winger did well to curl the ball from twenty seven yards and beat Nohammed Abraham to give Kenya an early lead.
After the goal, the away team tried everything within the ranks to push for an equalizer, but the Kenyan defense, that had not conceded a single goal, made it hard for them. In the 28th minute, George Odhiambo made a good run from the left, going past three opponents, however, his over ambitious effort sailed wide off the mark.
With five minutes to the break, Patillah Omotto fouled the ever dangerous Ibrahim Hamad in the promising position, unfortunately, the ball was floated over Matasi’s cross bar by Mwinyi Haji. Three minutes later, Jockins Atudo made a mistake at the back giving Kassim Suleiman a chance to cross the ball into the danger zone, but Matasi did well to stop them.
The Zanzibar Heroes came back stronger after the break, trying to push Harambee Stars into making mistakes, and they won a free kick in a promising position, however Mwinyi Haji once again failed to capitalize on the opportunity, shooting the ball way over.
Kepha Aswani was forced off with an injury, prompting coach Paul Put to introduce Kenyan Premier League top scorer Masoud Juma with 25 minutes to go.
In the 75th minute, Zanzibar had the best of opportunities to equalize. Kenya defense was caught napping and the ball fell kindly to Issa Juma, who did well to take his time and set up Kassim Ali, however Atudo was in the right place to prevent the ball from hitting the back of the net.
The hard fighting Zanzibar was rewarded for their pressing in the 87th minute. Substitute Khamisi Musa came into the rescue, finishing off beautifully Salim Kheri’s well cut pass to silence the home crowd and sending the game to extra time.
Seven minutes into extra time and Kenya scored the second goal courtesy of Juma, who did well to capitalize on the goalkeeper’s mistake. The custodian gave away the goal kick, with the help of a defender, and the striker needed two touches to give Stars a deserved lead.
Three minutes later, it was 2-2, this time round Musa Mohammed failing to clear the danger giving Khamisi Musa a chance to complete his brace and send the match to penalties.
Matasi kept out Ahmed Said, Khamis Musa and Mohammed Issa spot-kicks with Mudathir Abbas and Dan Abdul scoring for the Zanzibar Heroes.
Kenya scored courtesy of Jockins Atudo, Wesley Onguso and Samuel Onyango, while Duncan Otieno missed out.
Starting XI: Patrick Matasi, Musa Mohamed, Jockins Atudo, Dennis Shikayi, Wesley Onguso, Omotto Pattillah, Whyvonne Isuza, Ovella Ochieng, Duncan Otieno, George Odhiambo, Kepha Aswani
Subs: Boniface Oluoch, Gabriel Andika, Said Tsuma, Bernard Ochieng, Samwel Onyango, Masoud Juma, Wellingtone Ochieng, Isaac Kipyegon, Vincent Oburu, Ernest Wendo, Chrispin Oduor.
atudo for gor mahia !
As I had said I will still emphasize …..
TB get matasi boy ni lerrrrr xonfidence na maturity anayo..
then get atudo after the final you’ll agree that atudo-musa compliment each other as in perfect together in stopping oppositions attacks,,,,,, get atudo,,,, musa ber but ober koyudo ngama konye….pile okinyal tugo to your level best…..
get atudo, matasi, mieno n onguso,,,,,,
ja ghana cha i prefer we get mieno incase we moss on him…….
karrach to tb okel wa atudo onguso gi matasi……
awacho ayueyo
How old is Atudo, just asking!!! Matasi is good but so are Bonny and Frederick. We need to replace the almost departing Muguna then sign Momanyi to replace Joash when we release him.
Those who want Atudo, are they insinuating that Shakava /Musa combination is not good. Shakava is good and his combination with Musa have won us three league titles and we can not afford to lose him to some mediocre team simply because we want to change our defence line. For those who want Atudo, how many goals did posta rangers concede in the league bcos I know that it’s Gor who conceded less. The fact that Shakava was not part of harambee stars that played in the cecafa tournament do not make Atudo better than him. I would prefer Shakava /Musa combination any day. Shakava is a loyal Gor player who took calaba’s position and have been our foot soldier winning three league titles with two in a row and one unbeaten.
Shakava is boss
Tusker claim that Lawrence also signed for them. Will we havw a case like that of Oburu. Double signing?
Gor Mahia CEO has already clarified. Players are signed by the office not coaches. May be what Baraza was insinuating was a verbal discussion between him and Lawrence. There are procedures that CEO Aduda had alluded to regarding the due process in signing players.
Why matasi?just because he has had one good tournament and saved 3 penalties?is he any better than Bonnie?I don’t think so!!
Atudo?OK…solid and seasoned defender…but is he what we need?I don’t think so.
There are better players out there in my opinion and am sure Kerr has already identified them..it’s up to the EC to get what the coach has recommended!
I am in agreement with your posting regarding Matasi, Atudo and etal. We can not buy all players in the KPL and such players may be good during CECAFA but might be flops after signing.
Not every player is to join gormahia. The technical bench should be left alone to do their work.This issue of get Matasi , Atudo and ovella i don’t support it. We have shakava.boni,odhiambo,and wafulla plus omondi. The department we should strengthen is box to box midfielder, having mieno in mind. But the fact that matasi saved three penalties does not make him better than the goal keepers we have.
Meanwhile in the SJAK Awards. Musa – best defender, BB- best midfielder and Kagere _ MVP
Congratulations to Berry, Musa and Luanda Magere for the SJKA awards, but everyone in Kogalo was a winner in the last season anyway, so congratulations all team kubwa. How come we are not getting regular updates on transfers? EC,TB what’s happening?
Big teams don’t sign players like small teams, they only sign the areas that they feel need to strengthen. Just like in Gor which is a big team having won the league 16 times (not like sofapaka who won the league ones and some naive individuals call it a giant) can only sign few players like three or four. In my humble and honest opinion we only need to sign attacking midfielder to replace Miguna who I’ve heard is leaving and a striker. The rest are well covered including goal keeping. That young boy who played when Gor played Everton is a better keeper than even Bonnie.
now that mieno has been released by tusker and are free agents why not move swiftly for their signatures together with kago. the guy is an upgrade of ovella in terms of pace, technique and pace in case we are not contented with our current wingers ……
addition of the two I gauze be of great importance to us especially in caf preparations that is looming ..
jasego can you cinfirm these thingss,,,,
1. the loooming arrivals of sam onyangoand onguso whom I hear their current employers are unwilling to release on issues of strengthening direct oppositions and replacement signings respectively…..
2. the ghanian arrival then ommission of karim’s name in caf
will the ghanian be of great use really bear in mind we have teddy and philemon and mieno if signed,,,,,,,I rest my case. .