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Harambee Stars kept their hopes of clinching the inaugural Mapinduzi Cup alive with a convincing 2-0 victory over Tanzania in a second-round clash at Gombani Stadium in Zanzibar on Tuesday night.
Goals from Boniface Muchiri of Ulinzi Stars and FKF Premier League top scorer Ryan Ogam secured the win in the 55th and 67th minutes, respectively, as Kenya moved to four points in the tournament and now stand in prime position to advance to the final.
Muchiri’s opener came after a fluid build-up involving Brian Musa and Daniel Sakari. Sakari delivered a pinpoint cross into the box, where Muchiri’s initial header was blocked by a Tanzanian defender. However, the Ulinzi Stars forward was quick to react, firing the rebound past goalkeeper Metacha Mnata to put Kenya ahead.
The second goal came from a defensive mishap. In an attempt to pass back to his goalkeeper, disaster struck for Tanzania as Mnata slipped, allowing a lurking Ogam to pounce on the loose ball and tap it into an empty net, doubling Kenya’s advantage.
Kenya’s head coach Francis Kimanzi made four changes to the squad that had drawn 0-0 with Burkina Faso in their opening match. The reshuffled lineup featured Gor Mahia’s Sylvester Owino and Alphonse Omija anchoring the defense, while Austine Odhiambo spearheaded the attack. Shabana’s Darius Msagha also earned a start on the right flank, adding dynamism to Kenya’s offense.
With this victory, the Harambee Stars now sit in pole position to secure a place in the final as they head into their last group game.
Speaking after the match, Kimanzi praised his team’s improved performance, saying, “We were more clinical today and executed our game plan well. The changes we made brought a new dimension to our play, and the players showed great character on the pitch.”
Tanzania, on the other hand, will rue their missed chances and defensive errors as they face an uphill battle to advance in the competition.
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Kenya will now look to build on this momentum as they aim to lift the prestigious Mapinduzi Cup trophy in its maiden edition.
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