Rainbow beat Migori Youth to advance in FKF Cup

Photo credit: Vincent Ooro

FOOTBALL Rainbow beat Migori Youth to advance in FKF Cup

Festus Chuma 13:45 - 04.03.2023

FKF Cup has started in earnest across several venues in the country.

Trailblazing upstart Rainbow FC overcame Migori Youth 5-4 on penalties following a 2-2 draw in the FKF Cup  Round of 32 match at Kasarani Annex on Saturday afternoon.

The victory sees Rainbow booking their place in the Round of 16, while Migori are eliminated from the tournament.

After a quiet opening to the game, in which both teams were cagey and reluctant to commit too many men forward, the first shot on target arrived in the sixth minute, with Migori Youth's Ernest Oyugi firing a left-footed volley from long range, which brought a comfortable save from Victor Kamungi.

Rainbow almost claimed the lead in the tenth minute through Edward Omondi, who sent his shot over the bar from Lameck Odhiambo's delivery.

Erick Macharia's charges were awarded a freekick after Martin Njogu was fouled near the Migori box, and Steiner Musasia scored with a fabulous strike from the set-piece to make it 1-0 to Rainbow in the 16th minute.

Migori grew in confidence as the game went on, with their best attempt at getting back on level terms before the interval arriving in the 37th minute when Peter Oyier sent a long-range attempt on target, but Peter Odhiambo tipped it over the crossbar.

The match was 1-0 at the half-time break. Migori's superior passing game saw them bossing the early stages of the second half, but they lacked the nous and precision in the final third to really threaten Rainbow.

The Western Kenya side continued to chip away at Rainbow's defense, and they finally broke through in the 50th minute when Kevin Magai headed in Lameck Odhiambo's delivery to make it 1-1.

Things went interesting again in the 66th minute when Ogam Ryan, for the third time, hit the side netting again from a freekick.

Robert Ouma then came close to opening his Migori account after being set up by Fredrick Waswa, but the striker's effort was deflected.

Salim Mulunga came close in the 69th minute. Musasia was fouled deliberately by Wycliff Omondi, but the referee played a good advantage as Mulunga drove into the area and curled a brilliant effort inches wide of the left-hand upright.

Rainbow took the lead in the 78th minute and was attacking midfielder Ogam Ryan who scored from Kevin Otieno's delivery to make it 2-1 in favor of the Nairobi-based outfit.

However, in the 89th minute Migori found and equalizer after Josphat Kaagere got ahead of the last defender to slot home Ernest Oyugi’s  delivery.

Kagege had a glorious chance to win it for Migori in stoppage time, but the ball got stuck between his feet as the game was forced to settle on penalties.

How they lined up:

Rainbow: Paul Odhimbo, Wardfine Okello, Kevin Otieno, Murunga Salim, Lameck Odhiambo, Steiner Musasia, Japheph Lihanda, Philip Simiyu, Edward Omondi, Martin Njogu, Ogam Ryan

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