STILL UNBEATEN, BUT...Harambee Stars fail to impress

Habib Kavuma (left) of Uganda Cranes tackles Harambee Stars striker Michael Olunga during an International friendly at Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos yesterday. Photo/Stafford Ondego/www.sportpicha.com

Harambee Stars coach Stanley Okumbi may have extended his unbeaten run to nine matches but will be disappointed at the manner Uganda snatched a late draw from what appeared a done and dusted fixture.

For long spells after Michael Olunga gave Kenya the lead, Okumbi appeared satisfied with proceedings on the bumpy Machakos Stadium until he was roused by the casual manner in which recalled left back Aboud Omar was shrugged off by Moses Waiswa to curl in a teasing cross-short three minutes from full time.

Kenya play Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday in a second international friendly- another chance for Okumbi to examine his charges from close quarters.

Despite resting an array of stars, Harambee Stars toyed with Uganda creating several chances but agonisingly lacking the cutting edge for which they would be punished later on for the Cranes to equalise.

Both coaches, Okumbi and his counterpart Sredovejic ‘Micho’ Milutin had declared the fixture an audition for recent inclusions to their sides.

While Kenya’s Johanna Omollo, Teddy Akumu, Michael Olunga enhanced their credibility, Aboud Omar will wish this fixture erased from his memoirs.

Erratic and indecisive, Omar together with second half inclusions Paul Were, Mark Makwatta will feel the need to pull up their socks.

However, youngsters Robinson Kamura (AFC Leopards), Samuel Onyango (Ulinzi Stars) alongside Simon Mbugua, who came in for injured Musa Mohamed, will be encouraged with their displays yesterday.

The make shift Kenyan side restricted Micho’s to half chances, but without dominating their fierce rivals. Ulinzi Stars forward Onyango was the first to have a go at Benjamin Ochan but the Uganda goal minder was untroubled.

Harambee Stars did not give Uganda the chance to settle into the game as Olunga could and should have put Kenya in front. Uganda goalkeeper Benjamin Ochan timed his tackle to perfection, stopping the Ghuizhou Zicheng forward in his tracks in time before he pulled the trigger.

KCCA on-form striker Geoffrey Sserunkuma drew Kenya goalkeeper Patrick Matasi into action with a rising attempt which the Posta Rangers man gathered at the second attempt to prevent the effort into trickling behind him.

Onyango should have done better on 26 minutes after Jesse Were’s dummy set him free but the soldier dragged his shot wide with his weaker left foot. Muramiru Mutyaba then saw his shot on the turn from 25 yards out rise over the Kenyan crossbar.

Harambee Stars went ahead thereafter from a Ugandan attack when a quick thinking Matasi hoofed forward the ball which whizzed over the Uganda defence.

Olunga turned his man inside out before drilling low into the bottom right corner of Ochan.

The second half did not yield chances worth the high profile East African derby until the 58th minute when Tusker forward Noah Wafula shot across goal when it looked easier to score after a goal mouth melee.

Then Kamura struck the crossbar with a swerving free kick with goalkeeper Ochan rooted on the ground.

Uganda Cranes may have harboured ambitions of a goal but the manner they got it may have surprised them.