Mathare United left it late to edge out Gor Mahia 1-0 in the final of the Kenyan Premier League Under-20 Championship on Friday at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi.
Alfayo Oyugi scored the all-important goal in the 92nd minute, a brilliantly taken free kick that ended Gor Mahia’s bid for their maiden KPL junior silverware.
Stephen Otieno fouled Mathare’s Lawrence Luvanda just outside the box, and Oyugi confidently stepped forward to guide the dead ball thorough K’Ogalo defensive wall and into the roof of the net.
Although Mathare had showed promise by creating a number of chances in the match, it was K’Ogalo who dominated proceedings especially in the second half where they lost four clear opportunities to put away the opposition.
Elated Mathare United coach Gabriel “Kingi” Njoroge said that this was just another of the many successful achievement he had chalked up as coach of the world renowned Mathare juniors.
“I have come from very far with these young ones. The first time I was called head coach I was coaching the under-12 team and we ended up winning the Norway Cup abroad. We did that three times during my stay there and I have always believed that coaching the junior team would always yield success.
“I only hope that the management will someday transform this into a national league so that the young players can get to grow together and become even stronger,” the former Nairobi City Stars coach said.
Gor coach Morris Onyango said his boys were punished for their own shortcomings and termed it another painful defeat.
“We have been quite unlucky in this competition so far. We are always losing in games where we had clearly had an upper hand.
“We dominated the match especially in the second half and we missed so many chances. That is what happens in modern football. You get punished if you do not bury your chances,” he said after the match.
Gor dispatched Ushuru 2-0 in the semi-finals while Mathare overcame last year’s finalists Kakamega Homeboyz 3-1 in post-match penalties after regulation time had left the sides locked in a 1-1 stalemate.
Ushuru finished second runners up after edging out April’s finalists Kakamega Homeboyz 4-2 in post-match penalties in the third place play off staged at Camp Toyoyo on Thursday.
KPL.co.ke
