Shabana FC snapped their six-game winless streak in the Betika National Super League with a hard-fought 3-2 win over Migori Youth at Gusii Stadium.
The win was masterminded by assistant coach Vincent Nyaberi who gave Fred Nyakundi and John Omondi their first starts. Nyakundi popularly known as Malouda scored a hat trick for the Glamour Boys in the 32nd, 35th and 73.
NSL top scorer Clinton Okoth opened the scored for Migori Youth while second-half substitute Konjesteve Owenga scored Migori’s second goal.
“This is a big relief for us as a team. It is long since we last won. I congratulate the boys. They gave their all. The fans also came in numbers and gave us the support we needed,” said Nyaberi.
He added: “I want to finish in a top 10 position in the first leg. We play our last game against Talanta next weekend and my target is to finish with a win.”
Nyaberi praised hat trick hero Nyakundi who was making his second start for Shabana and Omondi who made his debut at the heart of the midfield.
“These two players have been training dedicatedly and deserved to play. I’m happy for them because they gave a good account of themselves and they will be considered in future games,” said the former defender.
His Migori Youth counterpart Ojienda accepted defeat saying Shabana was the better team.
“The game of football has three outcomes. Today, we lost because our strategy didn’t work. We scored early but lapses in concentration cost us the game. Our focus is now on the game against Vihiga Bullets at home,” said Ojienda.
Ojienda added that even though his team has met their first leg target, he was disappointed by the loss against Shabana.
At Karuturi grounds, Nairobi Stima and Bidco United played to a barren draw.
