Sharks Sink Teeth To Topple Yanga Out SportPesa Cup

DAR-ES-SAALAM, Tanzania- Kariobangi Sharks FC became the second Kenyan side to storm the 2019 SportPesa Cup semi-finals when they shocked Tanzania giants Yanga SC 3-2 in a dramatic last eight clash at the National Main Stadium in Dar-es-Salaam.

The SportPesa Shield winners raced to a 2-0 lead in the first half before Yanga struck back with five minutes left to set up a grandstand finish to the contest that turned out to be a five-goal thriller.

Sharks will play the winner of the showdown between champions Gor Mahia FC and Tanzanian debutant Mbao FC as Kenya went 2-0 up in the annual eight-team knockout battle against the home nation.

Duke Abuya and substitute Amisi Tambwe contributed to the spectacle when they claimed a brace apiece for Sharks and Yanga in that order with George Abege scoring the other to round off the scoring.

Abuya put Sharks ahead in the ninth minute with a finish fished out from the top drawer before another quality strike from Abege extended the lead in the 36th to put the Kenyan domestic cup winners firmly in the driving seat with a 2-0 advantage at the break.

Sharks sought to see the game out in the closing stages but three minutes from time, a catalogue of errors when a poor attack broke down and Tambe was on hand to punish the ruthlessly exposed John Ayemba.

Two minutes into added time, Abuya claimed his double when he danced around the Yanga defence before dispatching a low finish for 3-1 but the drama was not over when Tambe scored from a free kick to spark a brief confrontation amongst the players as Yanga tried to rush for a quick restart.

After lengthy consultations amongst the officials, no action was taken against each time and Sharks held on to the chaotic finale to advance to the semis on their second SP Cup appearance following their exit on penalties to Yanga arch-rivals Simba.

The rivalry between the Dar eternal enemies played out at the National Stadium when Simba supporters relished seeing Yanga, who have opened a sizeable lead in the race for the Tanzania Premier League (TPL) title, being taken to school by Sharks before the late implosion threatened to undo all their fine work.

Great opportunity

Yanga almost got off to the perfect start in the second minute but Heritier Makambu squandered a great opportunity, kicking the ball wide from a one-on-one situation. 

Captain Ibrahim Ajib was next to test Oyemba in the Sharks goal a minute later with a right footed shot that the goalkeeper saw all the way through. 

Sharks looked to be constantly under pressure as Fesal Salum got a shot away moments later but to no premium. 

Against the run of play however and to the consternation of majority of the Yanga fans Abuya proved why the young Sharks team are a force to reckon with as he put them ahead with a well-struck right-footed effort from the edge of the penalty area. 

The goal seemed to unsettle the hosts as Sharks began to see more of the ball, keeping possession and the scorer almost doubled the advantage in the 26th after some great work by Harrison Mwendwa but his dipping half volley landed on the roof of the Yanga net. 

Vincent Wasambo’s diving header from a cross-rattled the crossbar in the 31st as Sharks continued to dominate the match, buoyed by the support they were receiving from Simba supporters.

Their industry was rewarded when Abege did extremely well to skip past Andrew Vincent and unleash a left-footed shot that went past Klaus Kindoku in the Yanga goal to give Sharks a 2-0 lead in the 36th. 

Yanga failed to find their rhythm as the first half drew to a close and the referee blew for the break with the visitors two goals to the good with one foot into the semis. 

The TPL log leaders came back into the second half having made a substitution with Tambwe replacing Haruna Mosh as they sought a route back to the contest. 

Attacking formation

A minute into the half, Thabani Kamusoko replaced Abdalla Haji as Yanga went into a more attacking formation but it was Sharks who got the next sniff on goal.

Abege headed the ball into the back of the net in the 49th but the referee blew his whistle, claiming the Kenya forward had fouled Yanga goalkeeper Kindoki in the process. 

In the 54th, Andrew Vincent came close from a corner but his header did not threaten the Sharks goalkeeper as it went wide of the goal. 

Fesal came close for Yanga in the 59th with a right-footed shot but the Sharks defence closed him down as he watched his shot go harmlessly out for a goal-kick.

Shafan Oyugi was the first change for Sharks as he came on in place of Wasambo in the 64th. 

Four minutes later, Sharks launched a deadly counter attack that ended with the ball falling kindly for Mwendwa; arguably Sharks best player on the day, but his effort went over the bar. 

Mwendwa then went down injured and unfortunately could not continue as he was replaced by returning captain Eric Juma. 

Kenya under-23 striker Sydney Lokale was next to join the fray as he replaced goal scorer Abege with quarter of an hour left in the highly entertaining encounter. 

Papy Tsishimbi came on for Yanga in the 84th but it seemed as though the energetic Sharks would hang on to the lead. 

But two minutes later, Tambwe capitalised on a Geoffrey Shiveka slip and pulled a goal back for the hosts, sending the crowd into a frenzy sparking the drama that closed a breathless game.

The fourth official raised his board to indicate an additional five minutes, which also got a cheer out of the losing crowd, with hope that they could get an equalising goal. 

It was not to be as Abuya left the struggling Yanga defenders on the ground to calmly slot past Kindoki to restore their two goal lead. 

Tambe got his brace after slight confusion in the Sharks penalty area before the drama that played out before full time took centre stage.