The 2009 Kenyan champions Sofapaka and Kariobangi Sharks have laboured for a point in the opening match of the Elite pre-season Cup after registering a barren draw at the Kasarani Annex on Tuesday afternoon.Despite the draw, Sharks head coach William Muluya expressed satisfaction with how his players especially the new ones expressed themselves on the pitch.”I am impressed with how my players performed. I brought in 22 new players and the purpose of the tournament is to gauge them before the season gets underway,” he said.His opposite number David Ouma was also a satisfied gaffer after watching his boys hold a side that he described a hard nut to crack.”Sharks have been beating us in the league and sharing spoils with them shows that we have improved. We played well but unfortunately, we were not sharp enough in front of the goal,” he said.Both teams handed their newly-acquired arsenals starting berths with Sharks naming six of their signings in the team. Sofapaka on the other hand named two in Baron Oketch and Lucky Mweu.Having lost the duo of Patilah Omoto and Samuel Olwande who skippered the team last season, Muluya handed the armband to central defender Kevin Luke.The latter joined Sharks from the Nakuru based St.Joseph FC.What was expected to an explosive start in the match turned a sluggish one as both teams struggled to create any meaningful scoring chances in the first half and string up passes.Sharks settled in the game fast and managed to dominate proceedings but lack of punching power in the final third worked against their plan of taking full control of the encounter.Sofapaka on the other hand tried to break through the Sharks defence through counterattacks but the coordination between the midfield and the forward line saw their runs count for nothing.The half time pep talk by both coaches appeared to work well as both teams showed improvements but still, lack of cutting edge in the respective forward lines saw the few chances created go begging.Kariobangi Sharks XIJohn Otieno, Frédérick Alushula,Geoffrey Onyango,Kevin Luke, Collins Obanda, Keith Imbali, Dan Guya, Fortune Omoto,Tyson Otieno, Paul Odhiambo, Kevin WangayaSubstitutes Gedion Ogweno, Ken Kyalo, Titus Kapchanga, Julius Masaba, Gospel Otieno,Frankline Sile,Panchol Ghai, David Jima,Leolevit Otieno Sofapaka XISimon Masaka,Titus Achesa,David Nshimirimana, Stephen Otieno,Geoffrey Ojunga,Roy Okal,Ambrose Sifuna,Sebastian Sunday, Lucky Mweu, Alex Imbusia,Baron OketchSubstitutes Kevin Omondi, Ben Stanley Omondi, Joe Waithira,David Otieno, Ronack Otieno,Raphael Asudi, Samuel Olwande,David Obasanjo,Nixon Omondi Centre referee: Anthony Ogwayo
