They are human after all - Agoro Sare claw back to hold Shanderema

© Tim Sande

SCHOOL GAMES: They are human after all - Agoro Sare claw back to hold Shanderema

Fred Arocho in Kakamega • 13:25 - 09.08.2023

The hosts scored in the first half while Nyanza's representatives replied in the second.

The highly anticipated collision between Western Region bigwigs Friends School Shanderema and Nyanza’s Agoro Sare High School lived up to its hot billing as the two sides evened out 1-1 at a rapturous Bukhungu stadium on Wednesday morning.

The Group A clash billed as final before the final flew off the blocks with Agoro Sare looking the most likely to draw first blood. Their midfield combination of Churchil Ombuor and Michael Omondi was finding spaces between Shanderema's backline but lackluster finishing by Fabian Otieno let Agoro Sare down.

The hosts turned the tide and got on the score sheet with eight minutes left on the clock before halftime. Kelly Madada let fly a rasping shot which Agoro Sare goalkeeper Felix Onyango could only parry.

Opening day hat trick hero Maxwell Wamalwa then pounced on the spilt ball and bundled in the goal for Shanderema’s first goal of the day and his fourth in the nationals. The hosts then seized control of the game and were unlucky not to raise their tally of goals as Agoro Sare welcomed the half time whistle.

The second half did not start explosively as the first but Agoro Sare played with intent, trying to manufacture moves around the solid Shanderema backline.

The Nyanza Region boys nearly gave the partisan Bukhungu stadium crowd a heart attack when they hit the woodwork in the 64th minute. Quinton Fortune riffled a shot that Shanderema custodian Morgan Kwena could not keep out.

Luckily for majority in the stadium the ball cannoned off the post to a collective sigh of relief. The relief did not last long as Agoro Sare’s endeavors finally paid off when second half substitute Geoffrey Omondi slotted in a sublime equalizer in the 69th minute to draw the teams’ level.

Shanderema sought to regain their lead, pinning Agoro Sare back to their half without really carving out chances. 

A splendid solo run by Nickson Mutimi on the right flank opened up Agoro’s defences but Collins Kati failed to tap in the resultant pull back with the goalkeeper well beaten. His effort came off the upright leaving thousands of hands on the heads of horrified fans.

Kati was guilty again in the 87th minute when hesitation during a one on one confrontation with Agoro Sare keeper Felix Onyango allowed the backline to sweep the ball away from danger.

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