The 2009 Kenya Premier League Champions Sofapaka registered their seventh win of the season after edging Kenya Commercial Bank with a solitary goal at the Machakos Stadium.
The win lifted Batoto Ba Mungu to fourth spot on the log with 27 points, while the bankers remain rooted at 12th spot with 16 points.
Umaru Kasumba scored the winning goal from the spot following a handball in the box by Bethwell Warambo following miscommunication with injured goalkeeper, Zamu Adisa.
The KCB keeper failed to handle a high
ball well and was forced to pursue it outside the box but was beaten to it by Avire, who floated in a cross.
Kasumba met the cross with a header that struck Warambo’s swinging hand and referee Raymond Onyango pointed to the spot the Kasumba stepped up to coolly slot past Adisa in the final minute.
Both teams had few chances to convert but it was the bankers who went close with Sofapaka defender Moussa Omar at one point forced to make a goal line clearance.
Sofapaka head coach John Baraza was full of praise for his boys who he said followed his instructions against the stubborn bankers.
“KCB are not pushovers. They beat both Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards and that alone shows they are a good side,” he said after the match.
“We expected it to be tough. We knew the chances would come but they were few because KCB is also a tough team. To be frank, we were just lucky to win today.”
Barasa felt his striker John Avire could have done better by scoring at least two goals but lack of experience and focus was his major weakness.
