Mulee throws in the towel after Uganda humiliates Harambee Stars

By JAMES WAINDI in Dar es Salaam

Jacob 'Ghost' Mulee resigned on Sunday as Harambee Stars coach after Kenya's embarrasing 2-0 defeat to archrivals Uganda that sealed the country’s worst campaign in the regional event for close to two decades.

Kenya returns home with no point from the group. They conceded seven goals in three matches and scored only three.

Mulee, who has had numerous stints with the national team including steering them to the Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia in 2004 was appointed the head coach in September after Twahir Muhiddin was shown the door for losing the first continental qualifier against Guinea Bissau 1-0.

Fred Ojwang tackles Uganda's Vincent Kayizzi during their Cecafa Tusker Cup in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, yesterday. [PHOTO: STAFFORD ONDEGO/ STANDARD]

"This is a disastrous outing for me and I don’t see the need of keeping the job after losing all three matches in the tournament. I would like to take responsibility of the poor performance and the issue of unpaid allowances should not arise here," he said after the defeat.

"I had the best team, with the top scorer of the Kenyan league, the best defender, midfielder and player of the year, but we still could not win a match," Mulee said.

He added: "My advice for the team is that the future coach needs a good environment and have everything in place, without that no coach can perform under these conditions no matter how good the team is."

It was a clash worthy of any cup final, but Kenya clashed with Cranes for just a formality Group C match of the ongoing Cecafa Tusker Cup in Dar es Salaam.

Kenya dominated the match and could have scored two or three goals in the first

60 minutes, but Uganda utilised their chances with opportunistic goals in the last nine minutes.

Emmanuel Okwi opened the scores in the 81st minute when he picked a long cross from Dan Wagaluka and tapped it under a diving Kenyan custodian Bonface Oluoch.

And Oluoch’s disgraceful tackle on Ugandan striker Robert Sentongo in added time gave Tanzanian referee Israel Mujuni no chance, but to send off the Tusker goalkeeper .

Andrew Mwesigwa took the resultant penalty, which he coolly converted, beating Mulinge Ndeto, who had taken the gloves since Stars had used all their substitutes.

"We lacked concentration in the last 10 minutes and we were made to pay for that. There was also a moment of madness from the goalkeeper and I can’t explain what led to that. I have been with the team in different occasions but we have never performed this badly," Mulee said.

Mulee only made only two changes from the team that lost 2-1 to Ethiopia, opting to rest Kenyan Premier League player of the year George ‘Blackberry’ Odhiambo and starting with Fred Ojwang who has scored in all Kenya’s two matches. He also started with Osborne Monday in midfield in place of skipper Stephen Ocholla who suffered a thigh strain in Stars match against Ethiopia.

Stars had a number of chances with Kevin Omondi hitting the cross bar with a curling shot. Second half substitute Odhiambo remained with Uganda’s custodian Robert Odongkara, but the goalie denied him while Ojwang also wasted an open chance.