In search of a very first win, Mathare lined up in arguably what looked like their best eleven at least on paper. It was a fairly even contest in the early exchanges with Mathare quickly closing down spaces whenever AFC Leopards got on the ball.That strategy seemed to work for them who came in the game as underdogs as clear cut opportunities were few and far in between, both sides only finding the target on three occasions in the opening fourty minutes, two falling Ingwe’s way and one to Mathare.Austin Odhiambo got the game’s first real chance from a free kick situation, but Job Ochieng’ comfortably dived to push his strike on goal. John Mwangi then threatened to steal a lead for Mathare but his well placed header forced Benjamin Ochan into a low save on the line in the 28th minute.Against the run of play, in the crucial last minute of the three first half added minutes, Mathare broke away in transition and Mwangi, who had initially tested the goalkeeper led the counter attack, laying a perfectly weighted ball to striker Eugene Wethuli who did not miss, rolling the ball between Ochan’s legs to give the slum boys the lead heading into the break.Upon second half’s resumption, as you would expect, Mathare resorted to specializing in only one thing – soak the pressure as much as possible and try to hit whenever a chance would present itself.Ingwe came all guns blazing and to reinforce the attack, Patrick Aussems introduced Harrison Mwendwa and Bienvenue Shaka in place of Marvin Nabwire and Hansel Ochieng’.One slip of concentration on the hour mark almost enabled Mathare to kill off the game but Mwangi, upon beating the goalkeeper could not locate the empty net, much to the agony of the entire Mathare unit.Lucky to have survived, Ingwe pushed the agenda to the slum boys in search of at least an equalizer, Mwendwa proving effective on the right flank as he beat his marker on numerous occasions but it could not just happen for them.And if Ingwe thought they hand found the elusive equalizer in the 74th minute, the upright came to the slum boys’ rescue as Elvis Rupia’s instinctive shot that beat the goalkeeper cannoned off the post. Said Tsuma’s stinging follow through was just then punched out for a corner kick seconds later, so far so good for Mathare, game plan still intact.Job once again came to Mathare’s rescue with three minutes left on the clock as he twice cleared Peter Thiong’o’s header off the line.Ingwe tried and tried and then tried again, but however much they probed to try and alter the score line, a resolute Mathare stood firm to win all the three points that handed Ouna his maiden win at the club.
