Kenya national football team Harambee Stars won the opening match of the Council for East and Central Africa Football Association (CECAFA) Senior Challenge Cup against Amavumbi, Rwanda at Bukhungu stadium in Kakamega County today evening.
Hosts beat ten man Rwanda 2-0 to put a smile on new coach Paul Put’s face by winning his first match since taking over.
Two first half goals from Massoud Musa and Duncan Otieno were enough for hosts to collect three points to put hopes on 2013 champions.
Juma, the 2017 Kenya Premier League top scorer scored the opener through a penalty that before Otieno’s thunderbolt shot from 34m distance.
Amavubi had to finish the match with ten men after Soter Kayumba was shown red seven minutes from the restart for a second bookable offense, his second being bad-mouthing the referee while the first was for the penalty awarded to Kenya in the first half.
In the 12th minute, Stars had the first open chance of the game, Juma releasing George ‘Blackberry’ on the left, the speedy Gor Mahia winger cutting into the box but his eventual shot was well saved by Rwandese shot stopper Eric Ndayishimiye.
Kenya, pushed by the capacity Bukhungu Stadium had began to get their rhythm into the game and they finally broke the deadlock in the 25th minute from the penalty spot.
Jockins Atudo was tagged down inside the box by Soter Kayumba as he rose in to meet a Patillah Omotto freekick and the referee pointed straight to the spot. Juma stepped up and scored, sending Ndayishimiye the wrong side
Amavumbi, Playing aerial balls which were often well dealt with by the Kenyan backline and keeper Patrick Matasi.
It was a brilliant way to end the match and quite a rewarding performance for the tens of thousands of fans who had thronged the stadium
Stars were handed an advantage seven minutes from the restart with Kayumba sent off, but no sooner had he gone off than the heavens opened, making it difficult for both sides to play on the ground.