Shabana claim 3rd home win to deepen Sofapaka's misery
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Reading Time: 5min | Sat. 17.01.26. | 16:41
The win lifts Shabana to third on the table with 27 points, while Sofapaka remain rooted in 17th place on 14 points, the pressure mounting with every passing round
Bronson Nsugubo’s sixth-minute strike proved decisive as Shabana FC edged Sofapaka 1-0 at Gusii Stadium on Saturday, 17 January, to claim only their third home win in eight league matches and pile more misery on the visitors.
Despite sitting relatively high on the table, the Glamour Boys had arrived with a patchy home record, having managed just one victory in their previous seven outings at Gusii.
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Sofapaka, meanwhile, walked into the contest staring down the barrel, winless in eight matches and searching for a lifeline to pull them away from the relegation zone. That search now continues after another narrow defeat.
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The loss stretches Batoto ba Mungu’s barren run to nine matches, a spell defined by missed chances and defensive lapses.
They have now scored 12 goals all season, conceded 18, and kept just four clean sheets, numbers that reflect a side struggling to find balance at both ends of the pitch.
The win lifts Shabana to third on the table with 27 points, while Sofapaka remain rooted in 17th place on 14 points, the pressure mounting with every passing round.
Match Report
Shabana stayed true to tradition before kickoff, walking onto the pitch hand in hand with mascots, a gesture that extended to Sofapaka players as well, setting a warm and ceremonial tone at Gusii Stadium.
It was also a day of fresh beginnings for Sofapaka.
Brian Marani, Tyron Kariuki, Meshack Ochieno, and Duncan Otieno all made their matchday bows in Batoto ba Mungu colours, with experienced campaigner Clifton Miheso entrusted with the captain’s armband.
On the opposite end, Tore Bobe welcomed back Brian Michira, who took over the armband on his return from a three-month injury layoff.
Ochieno rolled the ball back to Marani to get proceedings underway, but the calm lasted only a moment.
Shabana pounced almost immediately, pressing with intent and refusing to allow Sofapaka the luxury of settling into rhythm.
Unlike matches that ease into life like a slow-burning fuse, this one exploded from the first whistle, driven by the high-octane pressing of Peter Okidi’s men.
Long balls were repeatedly aimed at Bronson Nsugubo and Michira, the twin engines of Shabana’s attack, and the pressure told early.
In the sixth minute, Nsugubo lit up Gusii Stadium. The Ugandan winger slalomed past three defenders, his dreadlocks bouncing in time with his feet, before squeezing the ball through the legs of the debutant Marani from a tight angle.
The stadium erupted, a roar rolling down the terraces like thunder after lightning following the early goal.
Shabana continued to dictate terms, sharp in attack and disciplined in defence, while Sofapaka struggled to find their footing.
The home side nearly doubled their lead in the 17th minute when Ezekiel Omuri found himself with a golden opportunity, only for Stephen Bonney to race back and clear the ball off the line with the net gaping.
Sofapaka had earned a corner before, but what began as promise ended in peril.
Kariuki’s delivery was poorly dealt with, and Shabana sprang forward on the counter.
Omuri burst through, rounding Marani, only for Bonney to recover with a last-ditch clearance, keeping the visitors alive.
As the half approached its midpoint, Sofapaka finally began to breathe.
They pushed higher up the pitch, enjoying more possession and spending longer spells in the final third.
But in doing so, they left space behind, and Shabana looked ready to strike whenever the opportunity appeared, with Nsugubo and Michira slicing through the channels.
In the 29th minute, Daniel Ng’ang’a went into the referee’s book for bringing down Michira, who then took the resulting free kick and sent it inches over the bar, a reminder that Tore Bobe were still in full control of the narrative.
Sofapaka’s best chance of the half arrived in the 36th minute.
Joseph Kuloba cut the ball back after beating goalkeeper Stephen Otieno, leaving Ochieno with what looked like a simple tap-in.
But football can be cruel, and his touch lifted the ball over the bar with the net at his mercy.
The miss injected fresh energy into the game. Both sides threw numbers forward, and the final five minutes unfolded like a chess match played at speed, with Omuri, Michira and Nsugubo continuing to pull the strings for the hosts.
When the referee signalled for the break, Shabana walked into the tunnel buzzing, their early goal still glowing on the scoreboard and their performance echoing the confidence of a team firmly in control of the first half.
Second half
Centre referee Edward Magnoli signalled the restart, and Shabana picked up from where they left off, pressing high and forcing Sofapaka into hurried decisions.
The visitors responded with an early change as Japheth Lihanda replaced Kariuki, while the hosts made a double switch, withdrawing Ezekiel Omuri and Erick Otieno for Justine Omwando Maasai and Humphrey Obinna.
As the hour mark approached, Sofapaka began to enjoy more of the ball, controlling possession but failing to translate it into clear chances.
Coach Akwana rolled the dice again in the 62nd minute, handing Duncan Otieno his debut and resting Ng’ang’a, hoping for fresh energy in midfield.
At the back, Bonney was immense, repeatedly shutting down Michira and cutting short the forward’s trademark runs.
Michira still found a half-opening later in the half after a flowing move that began with Kevin Omundi, whose quick exchange with Obinna carved space for a cross that eventually found Michira.
The finish, however, lacked direction and drifted wide.
Shabana came close to doubling their lead in the 70th minute when Obinna curled a free kick just past the top right corner, leaving the home fans briefly holding their breath.
Moments later, the tide turned as Sofapaka mounted their most dangerous attack of the game, with Iddrisu Shaibu nearly silencing the stadium before Okola hacked the ball clear at the last moment.
The closing stages opened up as both sides pushed forward in search of a decisive moment.
Obinna had another sight of goal, only to be denied by a well-timed block from a Sofapaka defender. Shabana then withdrew Michira for Brian Olega, while Sofapaka also rang changes, including the substitution of Miheso, as they threw numbers forward in desperation.
Batoto ba Mungu pressed until the final whistle, but their efforts lacked the cutting edge needed to find an equaliser.
When the referee brought proceedings to an end, Shabana celebrated a hard-fought victory, while Sofapaka trudged off to yet another defeat, their winless run stretching deeper into troubling territory.
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