KCB coach Frank Ouna hailed his playing unit for executing their pre-match talk in their 2-0 SportPesa Premier League win over Nzoia Sugar at Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos yesterday.
KCB scored a goal in either half to register their fourth win since returning to the top flight, a performance which Ouna attributed to his players for adherence to his instructions dished minutes to kickoff.
He singled out composure and capitalising on set pieces as the topics discussed during the talk and expressed delight with his team as the two goals came from set pieces. With the transfer window set to open today, Ouna disclosed his plan to bring in two players to beef his squad ahead of the second leg.
“I am happy the pre-match talk paid dividends for us. We agreed to be calm and make good use of set pieces and I am happy we got our win from them. I now challenge the players to score from open play. I want to bring in two players to strengthen the squad for the remaining bit of the season.”
Nzoia goalkeeper Humphrey Katasi had an opening half to forget as KCB fired missiles from all corners in a bid to redeem themselves from last weekend’s 1-0 loss to Sofapaka at the same venue. The National U-20 Rising Stars goalkeeper was forced to swing into action barely three minutes into the game, displaying superb and well-timed reflexes to deny Clinton Kisiavuki and Kennedy Owino from close range.
The bankers who depicted goal hunger from the onset pitched camp at Nzoia’s area but the defence line and Katasi proved equal to the challenge. National U-23 forward Chrispinus Onyango would have thrown KCB ahead in the 11th minute after being teed up by Eston Esiye but had his hard shot fly just inches over the bar. Nzoia, despite playing under pressure, tested KCB’s custodian Adisa Omar with Hansel Ochieng and Collins Wakhungu coming close in the 16th and 19th minutes of the half.
KCB had a 22nd-minute penalty claim after Katasi brought Onyango down while trying to gather a rebound shot from Esiye but the referee turned a blind eye.
The match was destined for a goalless half but a 43rd minute but Bethwel Warambo gave the bankers something to smile about in the 43rd minute heading home Esiye’s corner for a 1-0 lead in the half. Two minutes after the restart, Onyango doubled the lead from what seemed a harmless thrown in from Dennis Ng’ang’a but the former rose high to head the ball past a hapless Katasi.
Contrary to the expectations, the goal saw Nzoia step up their game and pinned KCB to their half seeking to half the deficit.
The inclusion of Robert Arroy who came in for Wakhungu in the 62nd minute gave Nzoia more impetus but KCB stood firm till the final whistle to collect the three points. The millers' stand-in coach Evans Kadenge attributed the loss to lack of cutting edge in the final third.
“We played well but poor finishing cost us the three points. We dominated and created chances but our forwards could not bury them,” said Kadenge.
