Mosha Strikes As Bandari Depose Sharks From SportPesa Shield Throne

2nd June 2019

Game had been called off on Saturday with the Dockers leading 2-1 before late strike seals their ticket to the CAF Confederations Cup and SportPesa Cup revenge

Bandari FC players celebrate after the final whistle of their 2019 SportPesa Shield final at MISC Kasarani on Sunday, June 2, 2019. PHOTO/Courtesy/Bandari FC
Bandari FC players celebrate after the final whistle of their 2019 SportPesa Shield final at MISC Kasarani on Sunday, June 2, 2019. PHOTO/Courtesy/Bandari FC
SUMMARY
  • Benjamin Mosha chested-in the third goal for the Dockers to clinch their second ever domestic cup success and a first since 2015 after they came in for the second half leading 2-1 from Saturday when the game was called off following a huge downpour and ordered to continue the following morning
  • It was turning into a full-blooded contest now with Harambee Stars keeper, Farouk Shikhalo, who is in the AFCON 2019 squad, also went to the book for a reckless challenge on Sharks striker, Eric Kapaito to fray the tensions before Mwana also earned yellow for scything Juma shortly after
  • The former Kenya international who's career was curtailed by injury finally broke his silverware drought having led Bandari to back-to-back second place finishes in the SportPesa Premier League and their SportPesa Cup loss in Tanzania where Mwendwa popped up with the winner in a 0-1 defeat at the National Main Stadium in Dar on January 27

NAIROBI, Kenya- Bandari FC completed the dethroning of KariobangI Sharks FC from the SportPesa Shield Cup throne on Sunday morning after sealing a 3-1 victory at the MISC Kasarani in Nairobi to qualify for the 2019/20 CAF Confederations Cup.

Benjamin Mosha chested-in the third goal for the Dockers to clinch their second ever domestic cup success and a first since 2015 after they came in for the second half leading 2-1 from Saturday when the game was called off following a huge downpour and ordered to continue the following morning.

A Yema Mwama double had given Bernard Mwalala's charges a 2-0 lead before Patillah Omotto replied for the Sharks when the match was suspended with the second half kicking off at the same venue at 11am on Sunday morning.

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Besides claiming Kenya's ticket to the second tier continental showpiece next season, Bandari also scooped KSh2m in prize money and above all, avenged their 1-0 defeat to Sharks in the final of the 2019 SportPesa Cup in Dar-es-Salaam in January.

This was a final that will go down in history as the first domestic cup showpiece to be played over two days after the match was rained off on Saturday with the Dockers, who last won the silverware in 2015 when they beat Nakumatt FC (since rebranded to Mt. Kenya United FC) 4-2 in the final, holding their nerve to dominate the contest despite the unwanted interruption.

Final ball

With only 45 minutes to play, it was the deposed holders who started the better when the rearranged match kicked off for the second half with the final ball to threaten the Bandari rearguard lacking.

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Hamisi Mwinyi and Sharks captain, Eric Juma then traded yellow cards as the teams sought to gain a foothold in midfield, with the latter cynically hacking down Ugandan William Wadri, the creative force of the eventual winners.

It was turning into a full-blooded contest now with Harambee Stars keeper, Farouk Shikhalo, who is in the AFCON 2019 squad, also went to the book for a reckless challenge on Sharks striker, Eric Kapaito to fray the tensions before Mwana also earned yellow for scything Juma shortly after.

With just over 20 minutes to go, Sharks who were chasing the game strung together a flowing move that almost produced an equaliser but Kapaito could not get a clean connection to a Harrison Mwendwa cross.

Gloves busy

Shikhalo was then called upon to get his gloves busy when Sven Yidah, the viral star from the SportPesa Cup shootout win over Mbao FC, got his effort on target but it lacked the sting to trouble a keeper of the Docker's number one quality.

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The game was finally put to bed and beyond head coach William Muluya and his charges when Mosha got the crucial third for Bandari on 80, improvising well to turn in a Wadri free-kick with his chest for 3-1.

Sharks' head dropped and they could not muster a comeback with their grip on the trophy slipping before it was released by the final whistle that sparked delirious celebrations for the Bandari players and their boss Mwalala who won his first trophy since taking charge of the Dockers mid 2017 season.

The former Kenya international who's career was curtailed by injury finally broke his silverware drought having led Bandari to back-to-back second place finishes in the SportPesa Premier League and their SportPesa Cup loss in Tanzania where Mwendwa popped up with the winner in a 0-1 defeat at the National Main Stadium in Dar on January 27.

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Sharks, who became the first team since the great Gor Mahia FC side of 1986 to 1988 to make three domestic cup finals in a row, have to pick themselves up for their landmark friendly against English Premier League side, Everton FC at the same venue on July 7 as their reward for winning the regional eight-team knockout tournament.