Police FC hosted KCB at the Police Sacco Stadium on Saturday 16th December looking to get back to winning ways after a draw in their previous fixture against Muhoroni. The law enforcers were in form having not lost any of their previous 5 matches, winning 3 and drawing 2. KCB on the other hand came in to the game needing a win to avoid getting a third draw. The bankers were looking for some consistency and a string of 2 wins and 2 draws in their last match meant avoiding defeat in this game would make it 6 games without a lossThe law-enforcers set up in a 1-4-4-2 diamond formation. Kenyan international Patrick Matasi started in goal, Baraka Badi and Aboud Omar were in the full back positions while veteran Musa Mohammed partnered with Rashid Toha at central defence. David ‘Messi’ Owino sat at the base of the midfield diamond. Alvin Mang’eni started on the right of the 4-man midfield and setpiece specialist Francis Kahata was on the left. Kenneth Muguna was at the tip of the diamond as the Central Attacking midfielder. David Okoth and South Sudan international Tito Okello were the forwards tasked with leading Police to victory. Bidco United and ex-player seek out of court settlement in compensation rowCoach Bernard Mwalala set up his KCB team in a 1-4-4-1-1 with Gabriel Andika starting in goal and captaining the side. Herit Atariza and Kevin Okumu were the fullbacks while Haniff Wesonga and Bernard Odhiambo started in the centre back positions. Danson Namasaka started in central midfield alongside former Kakamega School playmaker Apollo Otieno who has been in spectacular form this season. Stephen Etyang and Mulu Erickson were the wingers with Derrick Otieno playing just behind talisman Francis Kahiro who started the day 2nd on the top scorer’s chartZdravko Logarusic’s looked to start play with short goal kicks, both centre backs split either side of goal. The fullbacks pushed slightly higher to make a 3-man midfield with Tito Okello dropping to make another midfield line of 4. The shape then became a 2-3-4-1. The bankers on their side looked to press in their 4-4-1-1 shape and their positioning in pressing sometimes troubled the Police build up. In other occasions, the defensive midfielder, David ‘Messi’ Owino would drop in between the centre backs to beat the KCB press with a 3v2 overload on the first line of pressure. The bankers however, were not very aggressive in pressing which meant their press was bypassed most of the time. Police found it easy to play out from the back and this inspired higher levels of casualness in the team. KCB’s first real pressure led to them winning the ball high up in Police defensive third after a very casual start of play from goalkeeper Matasi and converting the chance created from the turnover to give them the lead. KCB on their side built up with both Centre backs splitting either side of goal. Midfielder Apollo Otieno was in charge of build up and ball progression duties which meant he stayed as the single pivot just ahead of their first line. His midfield partner Danson Namasaka pushed higher alongside the two fullbacks who were very aggressive in attack with Derrick Otieno staying in between the lines in the attacking third forming a 2-1-3-1-3 build-up shape. Police were set up in a 4-4-1-1 defensive shape with no man putting any real pressure on playmaker Apollo Otieno which allowed the former Tusker midfielder more time and space on the ball to orchestrate attacks from deep. ##NAJAVA_MECA_7753322##However, Police’s 4-man midfield with more technical players meant they found it easier to keep the ball away from KCB’s midfield 2. KCB were forced to create most of their chances from transitions. In the second half, one of these transitions led to a swift counter attack, with substitute James Mazembe unleashing a strong first time shot that was parried by Police’s substitute keeper Job Ochieng’ in to the path of another substitute Derrick Otieno who slotted home the winner. Despite Police having more of the ball and dominating much more territory compared to their banking counterparts, they weren’t able to create any big chances due to KCB’s disciplined defensive shape. Bidco United and ex-player seek out of court settlement in compensation rowKCB’s attacking fullbacks on the other hand proved to hot to handle as they always popped up on the wings, allowing their wingers to play in the half spaces and allow them to have more numbers in attack and to counter press when they lost the ball.
