AFC Leopards striker Marvin Omondi leads team-mates in celebration during a past Kenyan Premier League match. PHOTO/Raymond Makhaya
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 24- Ezekiel Odera scored twice as defending champions AFC Leopards progressed to the third round of the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Shield with a resounding 4-0 win over Rainforest in Naivasha on Sunday evening.
Ingwe’s head coach Rodolfo Zapata continued with his unbeaten start at the helm of the club as they registered a fourth consecutive win in all competitions.
Zapata lined up his strongest 11 against Rainforest including the newly signed Eugene Mukangula who made his debut barely a week after signing for the 13-time Premier League champions from Thika United.
They had a brilliant start with Odera breaking the deadlock inside the opening 10 minutes heading in inside the box from a Brian Marita cross. Odera should have added his second when he was fed off a Dennis Sikhayi cross, but his shot went over the bar.
Ingwe continued to pile the pressure and should have had a second when Kamura’s header from another of Sikhayi’s deliveries was cleared off the line.
But, the pressure bore fruit for a second goal when Jaffery Owiti doubled the tally with a brilliant solo effort, planting the ball into the far right after going past his markers.
Odera then completed his brace to give AFC a 3-0 half time lead when he beat the offside trap to calmly slot in under no pressure. Late on, substitute Ray Omondi put the icing on the cake with another neat finish.
Elsewhere, the young turks of Zetech University failed to shine in the shadow of an experienced laden Friendzone, going down 2-1 at the Camp Toyoyo Ground.
Peter Mwachi scored the winner for the experienced side on the hour mark after former Posta Rangers defender Don Owiti had pulled Zetech back into the game cancelling out Simon Mungai’s early goal.
Friendzone featured many former Premier League players including Jack Opere, Charles Pilipili, Edgar Waudo, Jaffery Gichuki and Isaac Otieno who all played for Posta Rangers as well as former Oserian FC captain John Keo.
