Gusii Giants Shabana Earn Promotion Back To Second Tier NSL
28th October 2018
Former top flight glamour side edge Mwatate FC 7-6 on post-match penalties after a 1-1 draw at MISC, Kasarani
- The teams shared a 1-1 draw at the end of normal time at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani before Shabana, the 1988 top flight league runners-up clinched the ticket to the 2018/19 National Super League (NSL) to send their fans wild
- Staring at a second successive campaign in the third tier, the ailing glamour club fought back to level the contest through Dennis Nyangwono in the 62nd minute, tucking in the equaliser from a Wycliffe Nyang’echi corner
- Kisii Governor, James Ongwae joined other leaders and fans from the Gusii region in hailing the club that was in its deathbed when they were demoted from the NSL in 2016 for earning their place in the second division
NAIROBI, Kenya- Gusii giants Shabana FC earned their return to the second tier of the country’s football on Sunday when they edged Mwatate FC 7-6 in a nervous post-match penalty shootout.
The teams shared a 1-1 draw at the end of normal time at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani before Shabana, the 1988 top flight league runners-up clinched the ticket to the 2018/19 National Super League (NSL) to send their fans wild.
After a barren stalemate at half time, Mwatate took the lead in this Football Kenya Federation NSL play-off through John Musyoka.
Staring at a second successive campaign in the third tier, the ailing glamour club fought back to level the contest through Dennis Nyangwono in the 62nd minute, tucking in the equaliser from a Wycliffe Nyang’echi corner.
That is how it remained until the post-match penalties where the team that represented Kenya in the 1988 CAF Africa Cup of Champions prevailed.
Kisii Governor, James Ongwae joined other leaders and fans from the Gusii region in hailing the club that was in its deathbed when they were demoted from the NSL in 2016 for earning their place in the second division roster.
“Congratulations Shabana FC on your promotion to the National Super League. Shabana beat Mwatate United 7-6 in post match penalties at MISC Kasarani. We are proud of you as a county.
“The use of the revamped Gusii Stadium as given to you by the county government has borne fruits,” the county boss wrote on Twitter.
Third force
Widely considered the ‘third force’ in Kenyan football behind SportPesa Premier League titans, champion Gor Mahia FC and AFC Leopards SC, Shabana enjoy wide support in the Gusii region of South Nyanza.
Businessman Dogo Khan who ran a hardware store of the same name in Kisii town founded the team in 1980 and bankrolled it to establish the side as a mainstay of the top division.
When Khan relinquished control, the club’s downward spiral started with bitter boardroom wars threating to tear the team apart and in 2006, following their relegation from the then Kenyan Premier League, the team declining to play in the second division in 2007.
After regrouping as Gusii United FC, the team worked its way back to league football and in 2015, they were promoted back to the top flight only to play in the second tier FKF Premier League following a dispute between the federation and top tier governing body, the Kenyan Premier League Limited.
Under Khan who once sponsored former head coach Akbar Khan to a course in Brazil from his personal coffers Shabana became a factory of international football talent including the likes of ex-Harambee Stars top scorer, Mike Origi Okoth.
Okoth who moved to Belgium for a successful career is the father of on-loan Liverpool FC forward Divock Origi, who gave Kenya a presence, by proxy, at the 2014 Fifa World Cup in Brazil.
Revered former internationals Henry Motego, Henry Nyandoro and Ali Mabrouk among others also passed through the Shabana production line.