Round 1: FKL Cup

Leopards beat West Kenya Sugar FC 3-2 to sail into the second round.

The Nation reports as per Charles Nyende:-

AFC Leopards squeezed into the second round of the FKL Cup following a hard-fought, come-back 3-2 win over last year’s finalists West Kenya Sugar at Bukhungu Stadium on Saturday.

Leopard’s biggest mid-season signing Mike Baraza showed why the club spent six figure fees to secure his services with a neat double either side of the break.

It was the home side that started brightly and went ahead early in the half from Nelson Simwa’s header.

 

Baraza responded for Leopards rising to head in Charles Okwemba’s corner before Bernard Mangoli added the second.

 

Nelson Simwa levelled the affair for West Kenya after a sweeping move. But Leopards, backed by a partisan “home” crowd were not to be denied on this day as Baraza notched the match winner with another header from Collins Kisuya’s free kick.

“The game was a big test for us. They were attacking in waves but we kept our composure and scored when it mattered,” Leopards coach Nick Yakhama said.

Yakhama had special praise for the fans who came out strongly to support Leopardse despite the match being a West Kenya Sugar’s home game.

 

“I want to thank the fans from western for the way they supported us. They welcomed us, were well behaved and really lifted us. They were fantastic,” Yakhama said.

Supersport in a report filed by Fred Maingi stated:-

AFC Leopards ended a run of seven matches without a win on Saturday when they edged out West Kenya Sugar 3-2 in a thrilling Football Kenya Limited (FKL) first round tie staged in Mumias.
 
Mike Baraza scored a brace as Ingwe overcame last year’s finalists before a huge crowd.
The home team took the lead on seven minutes through Nelson Simwa who slammed the ball home from Johnson Mukhwana pass.
 
Leopards levelled matters tejn minutes later through Baraza who tapped home Charles Okwemba’s free kick past West Kenya custodian Dickson Nalianya.
 
Inspired, Leopards extended their lead in the 37th minute when Bernard Mangoli scored with a rasping free kick after Cyrus Aluvisia was brought down outside the danger zone for a 2-1 first half lead.
 
The home team however came back from the break with guns blazing and they duly equalized through Stephen Wakanya on 74 minutes.
 
But Leopards would not be denied as Baraza notched the winner five minutes from time turning in a Ramadhan Shaban corner toi give the visitorts a much needed victory.