Late penalty strike earns Kariobangi Sharks point against Bidco United

A late composed penalty strike from Kevin Musamali ensured Kariobangi Sharks extended their unbeaten streak to four matches (W2, D2) after the defender pulled the rabbit out of the hat in the dying minutes of the game to see his side force a 1-1 draw against Bidco United on Saturday afternoon.

In the game played at the Kasarani Annex Stadium, Musamali, who had been guilty of allowing the Thika based side to get their goal, literally changed the scoreline of the game with the last kick of the match that earned his side a hard-fought point with the goal cancelling out Alex Juma's early goal for Bidco.

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"It is a case of two points dropped for us because we should not be conceding at such a time. Tactically we managed to nullify their threat because they had nothing to show for their possession until the last moments," Bidco's Anthony Akhulia said.

"I don't think we had the right energy for the match today right from the word go where we conceded early on. We however managed to salvage the point but the performance was not to the level required," Muluya said.

Bidco were quick off the blocks as they managed to take the lead just three minutes into the clash when Alex Juma managed to beat Musamali on the right-hand side of the box before firing a low drive past the onrushing John Otieno in the Kariobangi Sharks goal.

Pegged back by the early blow, Sharks picked themselves up and attempted to find the equalizer almost immediately to atone for their slow start.

Midfielder Keith Imbali, who was given a nice layoff pass by Tyson Otieno on the edge of the penalty box, could have restored parity just nine minutes after falling behind but the alert Daniel Oduor in between the Bidco goalpost was well and alert to the first time stinging shot as he punched the shot out for a corner.

In the 21st minute, that combination once again almost ensured Sharks got on the scoresheet but this time it was Otieno's shot on target that was denied once again by Oduor who kept his side ahead.

For all their dominance after conceding, it is the visiting Bidco who almost delivered another sucker-punch just before the halfway interval as Ezekiel Okare fluffed a glorious chance to double the team's lead when he managed to beat the offside trap only for the striker to fail to hit the target up against the goalkeeper alone with his shot veering narrowly off target.

At the start of the second half, William Muluya made two more substitutions on top of the first-half change he had already made in a bid to find answers to an unyielding Bidco with the head coach bringing on Moses Shikanda and Fredrick Alushula in place of Geoffrey Onyango and Keith Imbali.

One of the substitutions, Shikanda, almost proved to be a masterstroke as the striker's shot in the area agonizingly just went wide much to his frustration.

On the stroke of the hour mark, the attacker should have given his side the equalizer when Tyson put him through on goal with an inch-perfect through pass that left him one on one with the goalkeeper.

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However, with no pressure from the beaten defenders who were labouring to retreat, Shikanda failed to cause any trouble whatsoever as his shot ended up missing the target only to hit the sidenet in a chance that he should have done much better.

Starting XI

Kariobangi Sharks: John Otieno (GK), Daniel Omondi, Kevin Musamali, Collins Obanda, Julius Masaba, Keith Imbali (Moses Shikanda 45'), Geoffrey Onyango (Fredrick Alushula 45'), Fortune Omoto, Biron Otieno (Mathew Kibiwott 83'), Tyson Otieno, Leonlevit Osiago (Shariff Musa 35'),

Bidco United: Daniel Oduor, David Kalama, Thomas Wainanina, Gabriel Wandera, Francis Oduor, Michael Omondi, Alex Juma (Lambert Otieno 80'), Zachary Gathu (Samuel Ndung'u 80') Ezekiel Okare (Peter Nzuki 68'), David Orem (Lamech Oloo 56'), Henry Juma (Peter Nzuki 68')