A valiant effort from Kenya Police FC ended in heartbreak as they bowed out of the FKF Cup quarterfinals, losing 9-8 to Mara Sugar FC on penalties after a tense 1-1 draw.
Kenya Police FC’s FKF Cup journey came to a dramatic end after a nerve-wracking 9-8 penalty shootout defeat to Mara Sugar FC at Dandora Stadium.
The match was a tight contest from the first whistle. Mara Sugar struck early, taking the lead in the 10th minute. But Kenya Police responded swiftly through Brian Okoth, who slotted home a tidy finish in the 30th minute to level the scores.
From there, it was a battle of nerves and resilience. Kenya Police faced a major setback in the 74th minute when captain David Ochieng was shown a red card, forcing them to finish the match with ten men. Despite the disadvantage, they held their ground, with goalkeeper Job producing crucial saves to keep the match at 1-1 after 90 minutes.
The penalty shootout was an epic in itself — a marathon of tension and precision. Both teams converted their spot kicks with remarkable composure until sudden death. At 8-8, Clinton Kinanga stepped up but missed, giving Mara Sugar the chance to seal it, which they did, snatching a 9-8 victory and a place in the semifinals.
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It was a brave display from Kenya Police FC, who fought with heart and grit but fell just short in one of the FKF Cup’s most thrilling encounters.