The 2023 edition of the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Cup, aptly christened Mozzart Bet Cup for sponsorship reasons, was won by Kakamega Homeboyz FC, who beat Tusker FC 1-0 in the final played at Kasarani Stadium on Saturday, after a grueling four-month campaign laced with all the flavors of a proper and fit for single-elimination.1️⃣ Final Appearance 🥇1️⃣ Cup 🏆 Victory#MozzartBetCupFinal pic.twitter.com/Cmqy9Ff361— Mozzart Bet Cup (@FKFCup) July 1, 2023 AFC Leopards won third place playoff after edging out Ulinzi Stars 1-0 before the final.Homeboyz’s fairytale run in the 67-year-old competition, the oldest locally, ended blissfully with the victory over favorites Tusker FC to lift the second most prized honor in Kenyan club football for the very first time.It was the club’s first major trophy in their 13 years of existence, a befitting reward for what has been a journey of stoicism and gradual growth.Kevin Amwayi delivered the goodies for the Patrick Odhiambo coached side – scoring the loner in the 73rd minute, and ensuring that Homeboyz enter the annals of history as the 53rd winner (subject to further research) of the cup.
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Apart from a salivating Ksh. 2 million prize cheque from the main sponsor Mozzart Bet, the Kakamega-based side bagged a prestigious ticket to represent Kenya in the CAF Confederation Cup, also for the first time, next season.Tracing their campaign, Homeboyz had a doubtful start – struggling to dispatch FKF Div 2 outfit Shalimar FC 4-3 on penalties. Ordinarily, they could have been dismissed as weak based on the result, but far from it, and has been proved, the team was just dusting themselves off for bigger and better battles in the future.Yet, the team’s biggest statement, and giant-killing instinct kicked in in the round of 16 where they eliminated record eight-time winners, and at the time, the leading FKF Premier league leaders Gor Mahia, 1-0 at their Bukhungu Stadium backyard.##NAJAVA_MECA_7347369##The momentum gathered steam with a resounding 6-1 win over Kariobangi Sharks in the quarters.By the time they were facing and beating sibling rival AFC Leopards 2-1 in the semis, the indefatigable club’s president Cleophas “Toto” Shimanyula was already talking big and tough knowing very well he could afford it; the results were showing and confidence surging.Ahead of the final, Toto chose “violence” – not only rubbing salt on Tusker’s fresh wound – recently inflicted by Gor Mahia, who piped them to the FKFPL title on the dot, but also applied conc nitric acid around the same spot.The abrasive businessman opened a war of words with the Brewers’ coach Robert Matano perhaps to disorient the enemy – famously saying that the Lion, Matano’s alias, “will have to fire his witch doctor.”EXCLUSIVE: Gor Mahia complete the signing of Nzoia Sugar starToto, having seen his side beat K’Ogalo 2-3 in the penultimate round of the FKFPL season, felt wasted after the Brewers drew 1-1 with Posta Rangers on the same day, hence failing to capitalize on the “favor” extended to them by Homeboyz to run away with the league crown.”We did a great favor to them by beating Gor Mahia, but instead of finishing the race, they bottled it. Now they think they will beat Homeboyz for the domestic cup? They should forget winning any title this season,” Shimanyula was quoted by People Sport before the final show-down.In the end, the Mozzart Bet Cup proved once more the resilience of Kenyan football, and its potential if properly organized.Mabingwa wa Mozzart Bet Cup 🎉🔥 Kakamega Homeboyz. #MozzartBetCupFinal pic.twitter.com/RC76rAyCwJ— Mozzart Bet Kenya (@mozzartbetkenya) July 1, 2023 The partnership with Mozzart Bet saw individual accolades awarded to AFC Leopards’ goalkeeper Levin Opiyo, who won the golden glove, Stewart Omondi of Tusker, who bagged the golden boot and Moses Shumah of Homeboyz crowned the tournament’s most valuable player.It was a plus for FKF, who had received a beating just a week back for a chaotic trophy presentation on the final day of the FKFPL campaign.CONFIRMED: Safaricom Chapa Dimba to kick off next weekendThe Mozzart Bet Cup winners were accorded a befitting red-carpet medal ceremony.The players, technical bench and officials of the club had ample time to bask in the glory of the moment without rowdy fans interfering – taking enough photos and savoring the occasion to the maximum.Shimanyula even grinned. Such a rarity.
