Sofapaka head coach John Baraza has believes his side was robbed off victory after being denied two clear penalties in their 2-1 loss to Tusker during a Monday morning league match at Ruaraka Stadium.
Baraza feels the outcome could have been different.
Sofapaka head coach John Baraza is far from impressed from the way his match with Tusker was officiated. The centre referee Alex Ondima, who hails from Nakuru made several wrong decisions that cost the 2009 champions a crucial win against their league rivals Tusker.
“I laud the victor for their play but I feel the outcome would have been different if the match was officiated well” he said. Sofapaka were first to break the deadlock through Kevin Kimani, but the brewers replied through a Timothy Omondi penalty and a David Juma strike.
“Tusker’s first goal should not have been a penalty in the first place, but their second goal was clean and I blame it on our defensive lapse,” said Baraza.
He added: “However, we deserved two penalties that could have probably seen us end the match with three goals. First goalkeeper Patrick Matasi battered Mico Justine inside the Tusker box and he was shown yellow and we ended up not getting a penalty, which is very ironical. Then Omondi clearly handled the ball inside Tusker box when we had piled up pressure during the dying minutes of the match and again the referee waved play on.”
The last time the two sides met before the Sunday clash, the tie produced nine goals with Sofapaka emerging 5-4 victors.
Sofapaka (SOTE (kama) FAMILIA (kwa) PAMOJA KUAFIKIA AZIMIO (all as a family working together towards success), as a professional club, begins its journey in early 2004 even though records indicate that prior to that, the team had been in existence for a couple of years back as a Church team; Maos Ministries Church to be precise. Three years after Mr. Elly Kalekwa had taken over the team, Sofapaka- still in the second tier- won the President’s Cup, an equivalent to today’s GOtv Shield. Promotion into the Premiership had to however wait for another year as the wrangles in the management of the Kenyan game meant even with their domestic cup triumph, they still weren’t ripe enough for the top flight. Coach Martin Ndagano and his assistant Diallo Mudimu felt one more season in the lower tier wouldn’t hurt and a year later had earned promotion into the Kenyan Premier League. By this time though, Mr. Kalekwa had seen it fit to add some experience in the technical bench and as Sofapaka were crowned Nationwide League Zone B champions, Robert Matano was at the helm. A church team would play in the KPL. All praise unto God.
As if winning the domestic cup while still in the lower tiers wasn’t history enough for them, Sofapaka Football Club won the Kenyan Premier League in their very first attempt. The two names on the score-sheet as the side drubbed Red Berets 3-0 on the final day is enough proof at what the Church side had gradually evolved into. A John Baraza brace either side of Zimbabwean Tafadzwa Dondo strike won Robert Matano the 2009 league title just ten months into the top tier.
Though started an amateur side with street boys turning out for the team in its raw years, Sofapaka could now attract a few names form across the borders. John Baraza, 2009 Golden Boot winner, had been to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) before, and in hindsight at least, seasoned top-flight teams at the time should have been wary of Matano’s side
. Wilson Oburu walked home with Goalkeeper of the Year award while Matano himself was Coach of the Year. Anthony Kimani bagged the season’s choice for Best Midfielder while his team manager Ben Matindi was crowned TM of the Year.
In the run-up to their maiden title, statements had been rife that the newbies wanted more from the top tier experience. First, Patrick Kagogo aiding a dismissal of defending champions Mathare United then title favorites Tusker FC. While Sofa battled towards the summit, AFC Leopards, promoted alongside Batoto Ba Mungu earlier that year, will remember this as the season when a hard earned point against SoNy Sugar on the last day kept them in the top flight.