KENYA CUP: Comeback kings KCB show mettle and resolve against Kabras to lift eighth crown.

Curtis Olago's KCB stunningly came from behind in a 25-28 sudden death extra-time win over Kabras Sugar as they clinched their eighth Kenya Cup title in a disjointed final played at Nandi Bears Club on Saturday afternoon.

On their way to asserting dominance over Kabras in the cup finals for a fifth time, KCB had to show mettle as they came back from behind to win a match that they trailed 20-0 by the halftime break.

Coming into the match, a hitherto sublime Kabras who had gone the entire season unbeaten were out to rectify their pathetic form in the finals that had seen them lose all four of their previous meetings against KCB. That ambition was however met with agonizing heartbreak in the thrilling and disjointed extra-time finale that was literally a case of two halves that had Kabras dominate the first and KCB edging the second.

The game got off to a frenetic start as tackles flew in with cork sure conviction, get your man or die trying as there was no room for errors.

After seven minutes of sizing each other up, it is Kabras who recorded their first points of the game through South African Ntabeni Dukisa who was the leading points scorer in the 2021 season. The fly-half successfully converting a penalty kick off his boots to give Kabras an early 3-0 lead.

The then seven-time Kenya Cup champions KCB had the chance to lay down a marker of intent from the next phase of play as they got a lineout deep into Kabras' territory. They were however unable to do that as Griffin Musila made an error.

The Bankers were thereafter reduced to fourteen men as Isaac Njoroge was sent to the sin bin for a high tackle on Jone Kubu, both players suffering the painful consequences of the reckless tackle as play was stopped for close to ten minutes with the medical personnel tending to both.

Soon after, Ntabeni was at it again, successfully converting his second penalty attempt to give his side a 6-0 lead.

Having lost four out of four previous finals against KCB, Kabras were not willing to let the ball slip in the 2021 finals as they dominated in the territorial front. Their pressure paid off when Fijian-born Kenyan international Jone Kubu, from scrum pass, left the KCB defense for dead with a delightful dummy for the first try of the game, Dukisa once again perfect from conversion as Kabras went to thirteen points.

It did not take long before Kubu came asking questions of the KCB defense again. Despite a spirited fight by the Curtis Olago coached boys to keep out a steamrolling Kabras, Kubu still managed to squeeze his way over the whitewash for his brace in the match as he took Kabras' score to 20-0.

Play was suspended when Rocky Aguko suffered a nasty twisted ankle that left everyone looking away, the KCB player rushed for treatment.

After over an hour of stoppage, play resumed and it is KCB who looked the sharpest off the blocks. A chance to record their first points in the game was handed to them through a penalty upon a Kabras infringement but Darwin Mukidza's attempted conversion just sailed wide of the posts. The game thereafter got into the half-time interval with Kabras in control of the game.

As if hit by the illumination of being seven-time champions, KCB came out guns blazing in the first half, scoring their first points off Mukidza's boot just three minutes in. Struggling to settle in the second half, KCB forced Kabras into turning over play cheaply as they pushed to reduce the deficit.

Superb ball carrying by Andrew Amonde helped KCB land their first try in the match after Jacob Ojee went over the line after play was sent out wide to take the scores to 20-8.

KCB's ascendancy in the match took a hit when experienced Amonde was sent to the sin bin for a late tackle on Kubu.

The Kakamega-based side took advantage of their man advantage when Kubu hit a clever and well-read grabber that Valerian Tendwa did well in grounding for their third try. For the first time in the match, Dukisa missed his conversion attempt as the scoreboard read 25-8.

An infringement from Kabras saw Mukidza convert another penalty to get KCB to their first double points in the match.

Mukidza turned from hero to zero real quick in the final ten minutes as he was sent to the sin bin for a high tackle, leaving KCB with a mountain load to climb.

With just five minutes left on the clock, the impossible happened as KCB found two tries that leveled the scores before the referee's full-time whistle.

Trailing 25-11 with only five minutes left, Amonde and Onyala had their tries successfully converted as KCB remarkably forced the game into sudden-death extra time following a 25-25 full-time score.

In an extra-time where mistakes were not needed at all, Kabras gifted KCB the chance to win the game as they committed an infringement. Mukidza converting the ensuing penalty attempt to complete the 25-28 comeback and captain his side to their eighth Kenya Cup title.