NAIROBI, Kenya, October 20 – Kevin Gathu scored a hattrick of penalties as Kenyatta University’s Blak Blad beat defending champions Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) 9-8 in the quarterfinals of the Impala Floodlit Tournament at the Impala Grounds on Saturday night.
Gathu scored two quickfire penalties within minutes of each other in the first half before the bankers responded via a try at the stroke of halftime.
A see-saw affair in the second half culminated in the students extending their lead courtesy of Gathu’s third penalty of the day with KCB’s Peter Waitere being banished to the sin bin for rough play.
Levy Amunga’s late penalty gave KCB a faint hope of a comeback but the bankers were hard-done by time as their five-year dominance of the Floodies came to a screeching halt.
Meanwhile, hosts Impala RFC cruised into the semis of the tournament courtesy of a 18-3 win over Mwamba RFC in what was Louis ‘Fadhee’ Kisia’s first match in charge.
Derrick Kinyari drew first blood for the Gazelles with a try in the first half, which was successfully converted for a 7-0 lead.
Andrew Matoka Matoka then marked his debut for Impala with a successfully penalty to increase the deficit to 10-0 before Shaban Ahmed’s penalty gave Kulabu their first points of the game.
Patrick Muli’s try in the second half secured Impala’s berth in the last four, a subsequent successful conversion between the posts adding the gloss to a fairytale start to Kisia’s reign.
Last year’s losing finalists, Nondies, also secured their slot in the semis thanks to a 24-8 win over Strathmore Leos.
Brian Omondi got the going with the first try, which was successfully converted before Arnold Nyakego replied with a penalty for the students.
Three more tries from Brian Marube, Elisha Koronya and Ian Mumbwani in the second half ensured victory for the Red Lions even as Sullivan Japaso’s try for Leos was nothing more than a consolation.
The biggest winners of the weekend were Menengai Oilers who schooled Catholic University Monks, thrashing the students 45-3.
