Kenya Police FC faced Ethiopia Coffee SC in a thrilling CAF preliminary match yesterday afternoon at Nyayo National Stadium. The encounter which marked Kenya Police’s debut in the competition concluded in a goalless draw.
The team under the guidance of CAF A licensed new assistant coach Anthony Kimani and league matches coach Salim Babu, employed a 4-2-1-3 formation. Midfielder Tyson Otieno who was playing as the lone creative force delivered one of his best performances in a Kenya Police shirt.
The match started well with Kenya Police making few threats in the oppositions goal in the early minutes of the game with new striker Leku Alfred showing a good promising link up and pass to pass moments with his midfielders before new acquisition from Posta Rangers Musa Brian went down injured and had to be replaced by South Sudan international Brian Okoth. Kenya Police had the game on control in the first half over the Ethiopians majorly with left back Abud Omar missing several chances while right back Bado Baraka impressed with his superb crosses into the box.
A double substitution at halftime saw Jackson Macharia come in place of Tyson Otieno together with David Okoth coming on for Owiti Jaffari. While David Okoth’s introduction proved effective, Macharia struggled to replicate Otieno’s impact and was largely ineffective. Winger Zakayo Eric missed a crucial opportunity in the second half while main man Leku Alfred was noticeably absent from the game.
Despite their dominance, Kenya Police struggled to break through the Ethiopian defense until the introduction of Alvin Mang’eni and Clinton Kinanga later in the match that rejuvenated the team. The two demonstrated why they should have started providing a significant boost to the attack.
In the final minutes, Ethiopia Coffee SC nearly snatched a late victory when a misplaced pass led to a dangerous 2 vs. 3 situation. Right back Bado Baraka was forced to take a yellow card to prevent a potential disaster. Toha Rashid was the standout performer, excelling in both defensive and attacking duties, including crucial headers on corner kicks and delivering long balls to his teammates.
This was a must win match considering the home advantage but despite that, they gave us a below par performance. With the return leg scheduled to be played in Ethiopia, I wish Kenya Police all the best and hope that both their two coaches can make tough decisions and assemble a squad capable of securing a win.
