KCB head coach Oliver Mang’eni has set his sights on sweet revenge against Kabras in the upcoming Enterprise Cup semifinal on Saturday after his side fell short in their Kenya Cup showdown.
The bankers suffered a 25-17 defeat to their bitter rivals on Saturday at the Kakamega ASK Showground, a result that not only extended Kabras’ unbeaten home record but further saw them complete an 11-match clean sweep in the regular season.
Kabras finished top of the log with 52 points, with KCB hot on their heels at 50, while Menengai Oilers secured third place with 47 points. Despite the setback, Mang’eni remains confident his charges will bounce back stronger.
“It is time for us to go back to the drawing board and work on the areas we fell short. I am confident we will bounce back stronger and better,” Mang’eni said.
Reflecting on the Kenya Cup battle, the tactician admitted his side started well but let the game slip in the second half.
“The boys started the game well. In the first half, we put a lot of pressure on Kabras. However, in the second half, we made so many mistakes in our territory that cost us a win,” he said.
The game started at a blistering pace, with Kenyan international Kelvin Wekesa pouncing on a KCB handling error inside their 22 to score a brilliant try within the opening 10 minutes.
Kabras’ early 7-0 lead was short-lived as Austin Sikutwa responded with an emphatic try for KCB, leveling the scores after converting his effort.
Ntabeni Dukisa slotted two penalties after Tyson Maina was penalised, nudging Kabras ahead once more. But the bankers hit back through Griffin Musila and Sikutwa to hand KCB a narrow 14-13 lead.
Dukisa, showing his sharp kicking form, struck another penalty before Sikutwa returned the favor with a three-pointer of his own, giving KCB a 17-16 edge.
However, just before the break, Dukisa’s boot once again proved decisive, his penalty ensuring Kabras went into halftime with a 19-17 advantage.
KCB dominated possession in
the second half but
failed to capitalise
on their attacking
opportunities.
