Owen Mboya stunned AFC Leopards with his sole goal, leading Posta Rangers to a hard-fought 1-0 victory at Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos.
Mboya, who was developed through Leopards’ youth team before making his debut with the senior squad, scored the winning goal in the tenth minute, securing his team’s seventh victory of the season.
The young player was in the right place at the right time to tap in a cutback from the experienced Shami Mwinyi, who showcased his pace and skill on the right wing. Mwinyi managed to evade his marker, Julius Masaba, before cutting into the area and setting up Mboya for the finish.
Leopards left-back Samuel Semo will not want to see a replay of this goal, as he failed to track Mboya’s movement on the blind side, allowing him to slot the ball past debutant goalkeeper James Ssetuba. Ssetuba had aimed to keep a clean sheet in his first appearance for the club, but the youngest player on the pitch spoiled that plan just ten minutes in.
With plenty of time left in the match, Leopards were expected to respond strongly after going behind early on. However, the title hopefuls appeared sluggish and gave the Posta defense little to contend with.
Ronald Sichenje was arguably the most determined player on the field, working hard on the left flank in an effort to bring his team back into the game. He delivered quality crosses, tracked back diligently, and attempted several shots on goal, but it simply wasn’t going to be his day as Posta held onto their slim lead to claim all three points.
While Mboya capitalized on one opportunity to give his team the lead, his namesake, Felix Oluoch Mboya, will be disappointed for not doubling the advantage, having wasted three clear chances. Oluoch caused problems for the Leopards defense with his speed, especially in the second half, but was too casual with the opportunities that came his way.
This victory lifts Posta to 14th place in the standings with 28 points, just three points above the relegation zone. Meanwhile, Leopards remain in seventh place with 37 points, trailing league leaders Kenya Police by 12 points.
