On-Form Sofapaka stun AFC Leopards to assume League leadership

Sofapaka have assumed leadership of the SportPesa Premier League after stunning AFC Leopards 1-0 in pulsating encounter at the Bukhungu Stadium on Wednesday.

John Avire headed home an Umaru Kassumba cross for the only goal of the game. Batoto ba Mungu are now on 33 points, one ahead of previous leaders Bandari.

Leopards threatened early on when Vincent Oburu broke on the left flank to combine with Yusuf Mainge, who curved a rising shot, but it was cleared to safety by Sofapaka players.

Buoyed by their two successive wins, the hosts continued to pile pressure on the visitors. Victor Majid tested Sofapaka goalkeeper Justin Ndikumana after seven minutes, but the rebound was weak to perturb the Burundian.

The visitors responded four minutes later through two successive throw-ins, which were easily dealt with by Ingwe’s steel defense, before goalkeeper Ndikumana denied the host results from Robinson Kamura’s 15th-minute free-kick.

Leopards looked to continue with their resurgence under coach Andre Casa Mbungo with a series of attacks but the Sofapaka defence was up to the challenge.

The hosts survived at the half-hour mark when Moussa Omar’s well taken free-kick from the left-flank was not tapped into the back of the net by the yellow shirts, who had flocked inside their box in hunt for the opening goal.

Avire struck with a rising shot at the stroke of halftime to place the visitors ahead. The forward latched on a cross at the edge of the box to fire the Sofapaka ahead.

Looking to cancel out Safapaka’s lead, Ingwe started the second half strongly and would have scored the equaliser in the 48th minute, but Jaffari Owiti’s effort from outside the box blazed over the crossbar.

But they survived going down by two goals a few minutes later when Elly Asiche connected to Jacob Faina’s free-kick in the face of Adira, the goalkeeper reacting fast to gather the ball to safety.

Staring at their ninth loss of the season, Leopards fans looked frustrate as they jeered every call by the centre referee that went against their team.

Goalkeeper Ndikumana stretched his left leg wide to clear Wyvone Isuza’s 60th minute attempt from the left wing as the host kept fighting on for an equaliser.

The latter was not lucky three minutes later with his overhead finish inside the box.

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