Mozzart Bet Cup: Mara Sugar oust defending champions Police to book semis slot

Mara Sugar kept up the magic of this year’s Mozzart Bet Cup after upsetting defending champions Kenya Police on post-match penalties in a pulsating quarter-final clash at Dandora Stadium on Sunday 25 May.

Just three days removed from their rescheduled round of 16 success over Compel, underdogs Mara forced Police to a 1-1 draw in regular time, before summoning the big arms of keeper Evans Omondi to oust star-studded Police 9-8 in a lengthy shootout.

The former Sofapaka shot-stopper kept out two spot-kicks from Baraka Badi and Clinton Kinanga before scoring his own, taking the man-of-the-match and thereby extending Mara Sugar's best run in the competition.

Police seemed destined to advance to the last four after taking a 3-1 advantage in the tense shoot-out, but lost their way after Badi missed the fifth penalty.

In sudden-death, Ouma raised a strong arm to force Kinanga's power shot onto the crossbar and out, offering a platform for Fredrick Ngiela to send substitute keeper Reuben Juma the wrong way, sparking wild celebrations among the so-called minnows.

Mara Sugar are now set to face the other dream-semifinalists Nairobi United in a yet-to-be-announced date.

Match report

Coming into the game, all chatter was on how Kenya Police were well on course to winning an unprecedented cup-double this season, and indeed showed promising signs when midfielder Eric Zakayo tested Ouma from long-range in just the first-minute.

That quick start however hit a speed-bump just nine minutes later when Dennis Cheruiyot slammed home a deflected free-kick past Police starting keeper Job Ochieng, making it the first time Police had conceded in the cup this season.

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Ettiene Ndayiragije's men however offered the near-perfect response, forcing Ouma to big saves as both David Simiyu and Mohammed Bajaber threatened in the space of two minutes.

The law-enforcers pressure finally told in the 30th minute, when Bajaber's corner was deflected onto the path of Brian Okoth to slam home at the bottom-corner.

Moments later, Police thought they had gone ahead after Simiyu bundled home from close range, only to be flagged for offside.

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The burly striker was again involved in the opening minutes of the second half when he shot straight at Ouma, but that was as close as both teams came thereafter.

Mara, perhaps baiting Police to the lottery of spot-kicks, were reserved in their approach, and set up numbers deep despite their opponents going down to 10 when skipper David Ochieng was shown a second yellow for a deliberate handball in the 76th minute.

Only Kinanga's attempt from far threatened the backline.

He would later regret not aiming goal-wards when he had the chance to.