NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 1 – The returning Derrick Otanga stepped off the bench to score the winning goal with nine minutes left as Bernard Mwalala started his tenure as the KCB FC head coach with victory, the Bankers beating AFC Leopards 1-0 at the Moi Sports Centre Kasarani.
The game seemed to be headed for a deadlock until Otanga scrambled home an effort from close range, leaving AFC Leopards winless after the first two matches of the season.
Elsewhere in other matches played Friday afternoon, Posta Rangers stunned a star-studded Kenya Police FC 3-0 while at the Kasarani Annex, visiting Bandari picked a win on the road with a 1-0 victory over Sofapaka.
In other matches, Shabana picked their first top flight point in a 1-1 draw with FC Talanta while away in Muhoroni, hosts Muhoroni Youth played to a similar scoreline with Nzoia Sugar.
At the Kasarani Stadium, Leopards conceded from a needless corner. It all came down to lack of communication between substitute keeper Maxwell Mulili and skipper Washington Munene.
The centre back headed the ball out for a corner when there was no pressure on him, and it is from this setpiece that the bankers scored.
Substitute Musa Masika floated the corner into the box, and when the Leopards backline made a mess of the clearance, Otanga was at hand to pounce and poke the ball home from close range.
It went from bad to worse for Leopards as they were reduced to 10 men in the 89th minute when midfielder Musa Oundo was sent off for a second bookable offence.
Leopards had started the second half with promise, as they had a chance just minutes ion when Kevin Kimani curled in a swerving inswinging freekick, but it bounced across the face of goal with no one to direct it on target.
KCB’s approach to the game had changed after Mwalala had made changes with Otanga, Masika, Nicholas Kipkurui and John ‘Doba’ Mavado coming in for a familiar forward line.
It hadn’t been a game of many chances, with both sides being shy infront of goal. Apollo Otieno had seen his long range effort deflected for a corner for KCB while Stephen Etyang also had a curling effort plucked behind by keeper Humphrey Katasi.
On the other end, Jaffary Owiti should have opened the scoring off a quick counter but he lifted the ball over with only the keeper to beat.
Leopards had to make a change at the stroke of halftime, with keeper Katasi coming off with a suspected hamstring and replaced by Mulili.
