KPL Top-8 tournament: Gor Mahia to face Muhoroni Youth in the final

Muhoroni Youth goalkeeper Timothy Igweta prays after his team qualified for the Top 8 final yesterday at Nyayo Stadium. [PHOTO: JONAH ONYANGO/STANDARD] (R)Tusker FC's Lloyd Wahome, right, block ball from Jacques Tuyisenge of Gor Mahia during Top 8 semi finals at Nyayo National Stadium on sunday, June 19, 2016. [PHOTO: JONAH ONYANGO/STANDARD]

Muhoroni Youth made history by qualifying for the final of the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) Top-8 tournament at the expense of the experienced Ulinzi Stars.

The Awasi-based side will meet defending champions Gor Mahia, who defeated Tusker on a 3-0 goal aggregate after winning Sunday's return match 1-0.

Muhoroni Youth and Ulinzi Stars fought to a 1-1 tie in Sunday's return match at Nyayo Stadium, thus enabling Muhoroni to qualify on an away goal rule.

The first match ended 0-0 one week ago. Muhoroni Youth was the home team and had an advantage heading to the return match.

Muhoroni got off to a good start in the 23rd minute when Abdalla Hamisi scored the opening goal, which gave his side the much needed advantage.

Even when Brian Birgen equalised in the 73rd minute, it was not enough to help the soldiers, who needed to score twice to be sure of making it to the final and perhaps win the trophy for the second time since its inception.

Instead, it was Muhoroni Youth, who qualified for the final for the first time and now have a chance to pocket the Sh1million prize money.

Qualifying for the KPL Top-8 final is yet another major milestone for Muhoroni Youth, who were promoted to the top league  three years ago.

The team beat all odds to finish sixth last season and with it, got the opportunity to play in the KPL Top-8 tournament. Sunday's match started on a high with both teams creating early chances in a bid to get the advantage. It was Francis Ocholla, however, who tested Ulinzi goalkeeper James Saruni first with a long shot.

Then John Makwatta failed to put the soldiers ahead two minutes later when his effort went wide. Ulinzi then hit the post after Oliver Rutto was denied by the wood work as the soldiers upped their search for an early goal.

The soldiers paid dearly for the earlier missed chances when an unmarked Hamisi Abdalla connected a perfect delivery past a bewildered James Saruni.

Muhoroni were able to hang on the thin lead until the 73rd minute when Ulinzi defender Brian Birgen scored the equaliser.

In the second match of the day, Gor Mahia beat Tusker 1-0 to make it to the final on a 3-0 goal aggregate.
Gor Mahia have now qualified for their second successive final and will be seeking to defend the trophy when they play Muhoroni Youth in the final in Mombasa.

Francis Kahata scored the only goal of the match, beating David Okello with a neatly executed free-kick at the stroke of halftime.
Gor Mahia, who won the first leg 2-0 last weekend, had a little difficultly dominating Tusker this time around as the brewers looked more organised and had a few chances of their own in the first half.

But the combination of Kahata, Jacques Tuyisenge and Enock Agwanda was too much for Tusker.