Sofapaka strikers Umaru Kassumba, Piston Mutamba and Stephen Waruru celebrate one of the goals in their 3-0 win over Baba Dogo United in the FKF Shield Round of 32 match at the Camp Toyoyo Ground on June 24, 2018. PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 24- Three-time Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Shield Champions Sofapaka dedicated their 3-0 round of 32 victory over Baba Dogo United on Sunday afternoon at Camp Toyoyo to their departed defender Johnson Bagoole who passed on last Thursday in Kampala.
Batoto ba Mungu progressed to the round of 16 as they upped their ambition to get a fourth crown and dedicated all the sweat and toil to their former captain and defender who succumbed to Menengitis.
The players wore black armbands and observed a minute of silence before the tie.
Stephen Waruru, Umaru Kasumba and Piston Mutamba scored the goals as John Baraza’s men sailed to the next round.
Sofapaka FC players gather for a minute of silence in honor of departed former captain Johnson Bagoole who died in Kampala, Uganda on June 21. PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu
Baraza sent all signals that he was taking the tournament seriously fielding a full strength squad against the lower league side. The only change was in goalkeeping where new signing Wycliffe Kasaya was drafted in for his debut with Mathias Kigonya rested.
Sofapaka controlled the game, playing with ease and not pushing themselves too much. Their first chance came in the 11th minute when Bernard Mang’oli was picked out by a pass from Kassumba, but his shot from the right was deflected for a corner.
From the resultant set piece, Mang’oli floated in the ball to Kassumba at the edge of the six yard box but the striker’s dinking header destined for the far post went just wide.
Sofapaka’s early control bore fruit in the 18th minute when Waruru broke the deadlock with a simple tap in from a yard out after Kassumba had broken off on the right to float in a cross that beat the keeper.
Sofapaka striker Umaru Kassumba controls the ball under pressure from a Baba Dogo United player in the FKF Shield Round of 32 match at the Camp Toyoyo Ground on June 24, 2018. PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu
Seven minutes later, they doubled their advantage this time Kassumba turning from provider to scorer, shooting low into the box after escaping his marker at the edge of the box with a little nut meg off a Piston Mutamba pass.
Baba Dogo were punished for sitting back too much but as soon as they conceded the second, they started opening up and pushing to the attacking half in search of a goal.
On the half hour mark they came close when John Mark Ochieng found shooting space on the right after some promising build up by Baba Dogo, but his eventual effort went wide.
Five minutes later, they had another chance from a freekick off good scoring range, but Austin Odhiambo curled the effort wide.
Sofapaka midfielder Teddy Osok races away from a Baba Dogo United player in the FKF Shield Round of 32 match at the Camp Toyoyo Ground on June 24, 2018. PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu
Their closest opportunity came a minute to half time, Ochieng again posing the danger with his shot from a tight angle turned behind for a corner by Kasaya.
In the second half, Sofapaka needed only six minutes to seal the win. Mutamba, just recently signed from Wazito curled in a beauty of a freekick beyond the wall after Elli Asieche was axed at the edge of the area.
The side should have gotten their fourth five minutes later off a counter attack after Waruru sent Mutamba through, but the latter’s shot was disappointing. Baba Dogo made changes including bringing former Ulinzi striker Enock Momanyi, but they couldn’t get a way back.
They had a golden chance in the 72nd minute when Fredrick Okoth sent a decent cross from the right but substitute Reagan Karuri could not do the easy task of dinking the ball past Kasaya, instead tapping wide.
