Kakamega Homeboyz head coach Francis Baraza has jumped to the defence of goalkeeper Ibrahim Wanzala following a high-profile error that contributed to the team’s elimination from the Mozzart Bet Cup at the hands of Nairobi United.Wanzala, who has been in impressive form in recent outings, misjudged an early play when he attempted to dribble past Nairobi United’s pressing forward, Frank Ouya.
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The striker capitalised on the mistake in the third minute, firing his side into an early lead in what proved to be a decisive moment during the tightly contested quarter-final clash.Despite Homeboyz putting up a spirited fight, they were unable to overturn the deficit.Their hopes were eventually dashed when Isaac Omweri struck in the second half to double Nairobi United’s advantage, sealing a 2-0 victory, and sending the 2023 champions crashing out of the tournament.Nairobi United midfielder details how he will use Ksh100k Mozzart Bet Humanitarian ChequeSpeaking after the match, coach Baraza was quick to shield his young custodian from criticism, underscoring the importance of learning through experience.”I don’t usually criticise or blame players after matches. Today, Wanzala, who has been outstanding over the past four games, made a costly mistake that changed the flow of the match.But he is a young player who needs time to grow. I believe he will learn from this and come back stronger,” Baraza stated.##NAJAVA_MECA_8901187##Baraza remained optimistic about his side’s overall performance despite the loss.”We played extremely well, but luck was not on our side today. Our focus now shifts to finishing the season strongly.”The win saw Nairobi United book a coveted spot in the Mozzart Bet Cup semi-finals.Kenya U20 coach refuses to blame officiating in “unfortunate” AFCON loss to MoroccoHowever, they will have to wait to learn their next opponents, as the final quarter-final fixture featuring Kenya Police against one of Mara Sugar, AFC Leopards, or Compel FC, is yet to be played.Should Nicholas Muyoti’s Nairobi United go all the way and clinch the 2025 Mozzart Bet Cup, they would not only secure their first major domestic title, but also earn the honour of representing Kenya in the CAF Confederation Cup, a historic achievement in their maiden campaign.
