Kenyan midfielder picks up win in the US

Kenyan midfielder Philip Mayaka was handed the final 15 minutes as his Switchbacks side picked a comfortable 4-2 win over Tacoma Defiance in the United Soccer League (USL) Championship. 

Switchbacks is the reserve side for Colorado Rapids who ply their trade in the Major Soccer League (MLS) shipped out Mayaka on a season-long loan to hand him more playing time.

Brendan Burke’s men had to claim victory the hard way as they rallied from behind after going down in the opening 11 minutes of the game when Azriel Gonzalez brilliantly got past his marker on the byline to set up Marlon Vargus for a simple tap-in.

It took 21 minutes of Switchbacks to pull level in the clash as Hadji Barry set up Michee Ngalina with a pinged ball just behind the defense line as Ngalina audaciously chipped the ball over the keeper.

Barry was having a fine game as he put the ball on a plate for Deshane Beckford with his cut-back pass across the face of goal finding the latter in the far post to tap in the ball into an empty net to gain a lead for the first time in the game.

Mayaka was introduced in the 75th minute, coming on for Beverly Makangila as Switchbacks aimed to preserve their two-goal cushion.

With 10 minutes left to the final whistle, Barry finally got his name on the scoresheet as Ngalina returned the favour by floating a long-range pass from his own half that found Barry who expertly dispatched the ball to put the game to bed.

Alec Diaz set up a tense finish to the game five minutes later as his rainbow flick got him past the onrushing goalkeeper to tap into the open net to whittle down Switchbacks lead to 3-2. 

Ngalina finally bagged his brace in the 89th minute with that man again, Barry setting him to go on a solo run and slot the ball in the near post to seal the emphatic win.