SportPesa Cup Magic Moments: Otieno Heroics Fire Leopards To 2017 Final

DAR-ES-SALAAM, Kenya- The previous two editions of the SportPesa Cup- formerly known as the SportPesa Super Cup- gave local football talent from Tanzania and Kenya a chance to shine at the East African stage.

Established as a tribute to the intense rivalry between the two nations that started in back in the 1920s when the Gossage Cup-the front-runner to the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup- the invitational eight-team knockout competition has grown to be a key date in the regional calendar.  

In the SportPesa Cup Magic Moments series in the run up to the third edition that kicks off on Tuesday (January 2) to January 27, we look back at the defining contributions of players who seized the opportunity to shine at the 2017 and 18 editions.

In the third instalment of the series that has already celebrated forward Allan Wanga and goalkeeper Peter Manyika Jr, custodian, Ian Otieno, is another who will fondly remember the tournament where most games have been decided by the lottery of post-match penalties.

High stakes

In a knockout tournament that brings four of the biggest teams in East Africa and other quality competitors, it is no surprise that a majority of the games are high stake affairs that serve razor-edge battles.

One such showdown was the first ever quarterfinal that fittingly in amplifying the magnitude of the competition, set home favourites Yanga SC against Kenyan heavyweights AFC Leopards SC at the Uhuru Stadium, Dar-es-Salaam on June 8, 2017 during the inaugural edition of the regional football festival.

Yanga and Leopards had squeezed through their quarterfinals against Tusker FC (Kenya) and Singida United FC (Tanzania) on post-match penalties having been stretched to the distance when their games ended all square at 0-0 and 1-1.

As expected, driven by their rich histories, Yanga and Leopards served a contest of thin margins in open play and at the end of it all Otieno chose the big occasion to make a name in a 4-2 victory on post-match spot kicks.

With the mercury rising to 30 degrees Celsius, the players struggled to create clear-cut opportunities in the heat during regulation time, reserving the all the drama for the shootout.

Romanian Dorian Marin took charge of Leopards for the first time following his appointment to succeed Briton Stewart Hall with Tanzanian Dennis Kitambi who led the team to their quarterfinal victory over Singida returning to his role as the assistant.

The former Eritrea and Uganda Revenue Authority boss saw Leopards slow to get off the blocks as Yanga, buoyed by a vocal home crowd, laid siege on the visitors goal from the first whistle.

Hacked clear

Yanga striker Anthony Yussuphu had pulses racing in the fifth minute when he left Abdallah Salim on the deck before advancing menacingly into the box but his cut back was hacked clear by Dennis Shikai and Leopards survived.

Yanga continued to press without causing any distress until the 24th when Juma Mahadhi almost pounced on a poor back pass to Ian Otieno but the Leopards keeper raced out to avert the danger.

There was little else of note to write about the rest of the game contest as it petered out to a barren draw and penalties came to the fore once more.

It was then that Otieno- the former Posta Rangers FC keeper-picked himself up from the crowd to produce moments of magic in carrying his team to earn the honour or being the first ever SP Cup finalists.

And he was handy on both ends of the divide too, saving two spot kicks and scoring the winner to spark wild celebrations amongst his teammates as bodies piled on top of him.

Mussa Said and Juma Said saw their efforts saved by Otieno who the rose to beat his opposite number Deogratius Munishi from 12 yards as the disappointed Yanga supporters trooped out of the stadium crestfallen.

Bernard Mangoli and Yanga captain Haroub Nadir traded goals before Munishi almost brought the house down when he beat away a poor penalty from Marcelas Ingotsi to give the then Tanzanian mainland champions the advantage.

Otieno soon cancelled it out by denying Mussa before Allan Katerraga, who put a huge shift for the Kenyan side made it 2-1 only for Obrey Ochola to level matters at 2-2.

Otieno was not to be denied and saved Yanga’s next effort with his side 3-2 up before he was covered in a crowd of bodies when he scored the winner. 

For Otieno and Leopards, there was to be no happy ending as their sworn enemies Gor thumped them 3-0 in the decider at the same stadium on June 11.