Mozzart Bet Cup: Ulinzi Stars in seventh heaven after obliterating Zoo FC
Reading Time: 4min | Sat. 07.03.26. | 18:15
The Soldiers had previously advanced to the round of 32 courtesy of a 1-0 victory over Kamel Park Rangers in the round of 64, while Zoo secured a 5-0 win over Bondeni FC
In pursuit of their maiden Mozzart Bet Cup title, Ulinzi Stars put aside their league struggles to annihilate Division One outfit Zoo FC 7-0 in an encounter played on Saturday, 7 March at the Ulinzi Sports Complex.
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A brace by Paul Odhiambo and Edward Odhiambo, as well as a goal apiece from Bill Okite, Stephen Nyongesa and Boniface Muchiri, were all that Ulinzi needed to silence Zoo.
The Soldiers had previously advanced to the round of 32 courtesy of a 1-0 victory over Kamel Park Rangers in the round of 64, while Zoo secured a 5-0 win over Bondeni FC.
Ulinzi began the match on a high note, demonstrating their superiority over Zoo by controlling the match from the first whistle.
Zoo began to see much of the ball from the 10th minute, with former Posta Rangers man Dennis Ongeri causing Ulinzi problems on the right wing.
Ulinzi used their experience to break the deadlock in the 15th minute when Paul Odhiambo made a good run to receive a ball and put it past the goalkeeper.
Zoo reacted by applying some urgency in their attack, but it only resulted in an 18th-minute chance that Sammy Ggolola shot over the bar.
Peter Mwanyika thought he had given Ulinzi the second goal in the 20th minute, but Stephen Nyongesa was judged to have been in an offside position before putting in the pass.
Two minutes later, Zoo, who were playing with a high defensive line, were then punished by Ulinzi after Nyongesa, this time beat the offside trap and delivered a cross that Paul Odhiambo was left with the simple task of tapping into the net to double Ulinzi’s lead.
A fantastic team performance sees us advance into the Round of 16💪#GBUS pic.twitter.com/eJZssz3v6c
— Ulinzi Stars FC (@UlinziStarsFC) March 7, 2026
Owen Kipng’eno almost pulled one back for Zoo in the 25th minute, but his goal-bound shot was deflected for a corner.
The former FKF Premier League side was having a good spell of possession and engineered another attempt in the 31st minute when, after a quick link-up play between Ongeri, Kipng’eno and Ggolola, the latter found space in the box, but his shot was feeble and well collected by Sylvaine Ricks.
Ulinzi had their own chance in the 38th minute when Harambee Stars winger Boniface Muchiri broke on the left, but his pass to Odhiambo was well read by Martin Murabwa in the Zoo defense.
The last chance of the half fell to former Kariobangi Sharks man Odongo Tayo, who received a Kipng’eno pass, but his shot was well blocked by Bildad Abong’o.
Ulinzi resumed the second half as a much revitalised and ruthless side and needed just five minutes to put the game beyond Zoo through a clinical strike from Edward Odhiambo.
The military side were back at it in the 53rd minute when, after a brilliant exchange of passes, Bill Okite got to the end of a pass inside the box and fired a thunderous strike past substitute goalkeeper Benjamin Juma, forcing Kenya’s first son George Ruto, who was in attendance, to applause.
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The floodgates of goals continued in the 57th minute when a brilliant link-up team play between Muchiri, Paul and Edward Odhiambo saw the latter grab his second of the day and Ulinzi’s fifth.
Zoo had a chance at the hour mark, when, against the run of play, Tayo found Ongeri with a pass, but the former Shabana FC man found the side netting with his strike.
The Kericho-based outfit would then get punished again in the 63rd minute. Muchiri once again beat the offside trap, broke through the left before setting up Leshan Mootian, who then found Nyongesa for the sixth goal of the evening.
Ulinzi were not yet done and continued with their assault on Zoo when in the 66th minute, Muchiri, who had been lively throughout the match, got on the scoresheet courtesy of a sublime goal.
Having scored seven goals, the military side dropped their urgency and resorted to short, passive passes in a bid to conserve their energy levels.
The rest of the match saw Zoo push for a consolation, but Ricks was there to deny Tayo and Ggolola in quick succession in the 82nd minute as Ulinzi went ahead to secure a 7-0 win that propelled them to the round of 16.
With the military side enduring a bad run and fighting for their lives in the league, the win against Zoo is expected to boost their confidence even as the Mozzart Bet Cup remains their only route to a title and continental football.