The 2019 SportPesa Cup: 10 Things You Should Know

26th January 2019 - by Mutwiri Mutuota

Regional tournament closes Sunday with Kenyan sides Sharks and Bandari vying for the coveted title. Here are the hot stats of the competition so far

THIS IS HOW WE SHALL RECEIVE IT: Kariobangi Sharks FC players muck around during their training session at the Uhuru Stadium, Dar-es-Salaam on January 24, 2019 ahead of their 2019 SportPesa Cup semi final against Mbao FC of Tanzania. PHOTO/SPN

SUMMARY

Eight teams lined-up with the aim of winning the coveted trophy, USD30,000 and the chance to host English Premier League side at the start of it all on January 22
At the end of six riveting matches, Kenyan sides Kariobangi Sharks FC and Bandari FC will duke it out for the crown as the last teams standing

DAR-ES-SALAAM, Tanzania- The 2019 SportPesa (SP) Cup has taken the East African region and beyond by storm with the third edition of the tournament already surpassing the 2017 and 18 competitions ahead of Sunday’s final.

Eight teams lined-up with the aim of winning the coveted trophy, USD30,000 and the chance to host English Premier League side at the start of it all on January 22.

At the end of six riveting matches, Kenyan sides Kariobangi Sharks FC and Bandari FC will duke it out for the crown as the last teams standing.

Here, we crunch the tournament numbers thus far ahead of the final countdown to what has been a healthy football festival.

0: Red cards issued to players since the tournament started on Tuesday at the National Main Stadium in Dar, a tribute to fair play and discipline

Extra time played in the history of the SP Cup so far

1: Goal conceded by two-time champions Gor Mahia FC who were bundled out of the tournament by minnows Mbao FC of Tanzania. The first they have let in since the inaugural edition in Tanzania.

Coaches sent off in the tournament. Hassan Oktay of Gor received his marching orders in the first half of their quarterfinal against Mbao

WE MADE IT: Kariobangi Sharks FC players celebrate reaching the final of the 2019 SportPesa Cup on Friday, January 25, 2019. PHOTO/SPN

Occasion where a SP Cup game has ended in a 1-0 result. The opening quarter final between Bandari and Singida

Barren stalemate in the competition, the semi final between Sharks and Mbao

2: Number of goals shared by tournament top scorers so far. Duke Abuya (Sharks), Amisi Tambwe (Yanga SC) and William Wadri (Bandari)

Tanzanian and Kenyan teams apiece that made the semi finals: Simba, Mbao, Sharks and Bandari

Games that were decided by a penalty shootout, Mbao versus Gor (4-3), Sharks vs Mbao (6-5) in the quarters and semi finals

Teams that will have lifted the SP Cup since it started. Gor twice and either Sharks or Bandari

3: Goals conceded by Dar giants Yanga in each of the last two tournaments in 1-3 defeat to Kakamega Homeboyz last year and 2-3 reverse to Sharks at the quarterfinal stage

Tournaments played by Shafique Batambuze (Gor Mahia), Meddie Kagere (Simba), Nizar Khalfan (Singida), Aishi Manula (Simba), George Odhiambo (Gor Mahia), Vincent Oburu (AFC Leopards SC) among others

Occasions where SP Cup games have ended 1-1 at full time. Leopards vs Singida (2017), Homeboyz vs Singida (2018) and Mbao vs Gor (2019)

4: Teams that left the competition at the quarterfinal stage, Gor, Yanga, Singida and Leopards

Referees brought in from Burundi and Malawi to officiate the tournament

5: Substitutes allowed for every team featuring in the 2019 competition. The first tournament this has been the case

Highest scoring match in SP Cup history when Sharks beat Yanga 3-2, surpassing the 3-1 score line the latter lost last year to Homeboyz

Teams that have played in the three SP Cup finals. Gor, Leopards, Bandari, Simba and Sharks

Penalties missed during the two shootouts of the 2019 SP Cup. Gor (two), Mbao (two), Sharks (one)

6: Goals scored in the opening quarterfinals, Sharks 3, Yanga 2, Bandari 1, Singida 0

Goals conceded by Leopards and Yanga in the three editions of the SP Cup, joint tournament highest

Barren stalemates since the tournament began in 2017

7: Yellow cards produced during the quarters and semi finals of the tournament

8: Record tournament goals scored by Kagere, three in 2017, four in 2018 and one this year

9: SP Cup games that have been decided on penalties since the competition started in 2017

The minutes it took for Abuya to score the opener in their quarterfinal against Yanga, the fastest goal in the 2019 SP Cup

10: Minutes it took for the score line in the second quarterfinal to change from 2-0 to Sharks to finish 3-2 against Yanga. Tambwe (85’, 94’) and Abuya (92’)

WATER IS LIFE: Bandari FC captain, Felly Mulumba, enjoys a water break in their semi final of the 2019 SportPesa Cup against Mbao FC. PHOTO/SPN