NAIROBI, Kenya, January 18, 2025 – Minnows Talanta FC gave AFC Leopards a dose of reality, thrashing them 4-2 in Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League encounter at the Dandora Stadium on Saturday evening.
Ingwe were playing their first match of the year, having last featured on December 22, winning 2-0 against Bandari.
On the other hand, Talanta were looking to bounce back from last weekend’s 1-0 loss to Kakamega Homeboyz at the Dandora Stadium.
They seemed to have jumped from the frying pan to the fire when Boniface Munyendo scored the opener for the felines in the 11th minute.
The forward was the quickest to a loose ball in the box after Talanta keeper Mustapha Oduor had done well to keep out Clifton Miheso’s effort.
However, the relegation threatened side were only behind for three minutes before Kevin Owino’s freekick proved too hot to handle for Leopards keeper Humphrey Katasi.
Hard as he tried to parry it away, the ball ended up in the back of the net.
It was game on.
Their next attack gave them the lead, Katasi once again the culprit as he punched the ball into the path of Alex Kipruto for the easiest of tap-ins in the 18th minute.
A cross from the left by Emmanuel Osoro found December Kisaka on the right, the winger squaring it for Momanyi Machaka whose first-time shot was blocked by Katasi only for Kipruto to pounce on the spoils.
Sensing the vulnerability of the felines, Talanta had a new spring in their step whenever they surged forward.
Osoro was guilty of a glaring miss in the 39th minute after shooting wide, with a gaping goalmouth at his mercy.
It all started when Katasi’s attempt at clearing the ball deflected on Osoro who then latched on to the loose, needing only a pinpoint shot into the empty net.
He was to atone for his mistake at the start of the second half, making the most of a gift from Katasi.
Ingwe fans were by now sick of the sight of the former Nzoia Sugar keeper and his latest blunder did little to endear him to the faithful.
His poorly controlled backpass was easily intercepted by the charging Osoro who had the luxury to applying gloss to his finish.
Subsequently, amid seething fans in the stands, Katasi was replaced by Abubakar Musha – the custodian gesturing as if to apologise to Ingwe faithful for the horror show.
Musha’s debut couldn’t have gone any worse, Kipruto adding his second in the 58th minute after a miskick from an Ingwe defender landed at his feet.
The 12-time champions, however, earned a consolation goal in the 93rd minute through Maxwell Otieno, tapping in a cross from Luke Namanda.
