NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 22 – Preparations for the 2019 Kenya Open Golf Championship has begun with the Kenya Open Golf Limited (KOGL) confident of delivering a top-notch tournament that will be hosted at the Karen Country Club from March 14 -17.

This year’s tournament will be big as it will be joining the prestigious European Tour – in a move that will significantly raise the profile of the tournament while enhancing Kenya’s golf tourism proposition.

Speaking during a course inspection by European Tour officials at the Karen Country Club today, KOGL Chairman, Peter Kanyago said that the board is pleased with the progress it has made in preparing for this year’s tournament and that it is looking forward to host East Africa’s biggest golf tournament.

“We are pleased with the progress which we have made to prepare for his year’s Kenya Open whose preparations are currently in top gear. The course is in excellent condition, and from our assessment, it is actually ready for play as we speak. Together with the Karen Country Club, we continue to improve the it in readiness for the tournament,” he said.

He added that the Board is now in the final stages of finalizing sponsorship deals with partners with official communication on the same expected to be made next week.

“We shall be announcing our sponsorship details next week but, largely, we have finalized on our sponsorship engagements,” he said.

Speaking about the changes to be expected at this year’s Kenya Open, Kenya Open Golf Championship Tournament Director Patrick Obath said the Karen Country Club course layout will be re-arranged to accommodate the demands of the tournament from both a players’ and spectators’ perspective.

“The key change that is going to be there at the Kenya Open is that the course at Karen is going to be played in a different way to allow more room for spectators movement as well as the sitting infrastructure that is going to be set up,” Obath said.

“This means that Karen Country Club’s current 13th hole will be the first tee. Players will then play the 14th through the 18th holes, then go back to the 10th, 11th and the 12th for the first nine. They will then cross over to the first tee and play it the normal way. This means that the first nine will effectively become the back nine and vice versa,” he added.

Other changes set to be made for this year’s tournament include human flow improvement, with players and spectators having to go through the village before accessing the rest of the club.

“We have done quite a lot of work to prepare for this year’s tournament, including having the European Tour agronomist coming over to ensure that the course is at par with European Tour standards. We are therefore confident that we are ready to hold the tournament,” stated.

Commenting on the same, European Tour Tournament Director Paul Carrigill said that he was satisfied with the preparations that the Kenya Open Golf Limited has embarked on in preparation for this year’s tournament.

“The Kenya Open Golf Limited has improved the tournament over the last five or six years markedly, and now we have raised our level to the main tour of the European Tour so we will have better players playing. We have had a change of venue this year coming to the Karen Country Club and the course is in wonderful condition already, so everything is progressing well,” Carrigill pointed out.

Carrigill added that with the tournament’s new status, the Kenya Open will have live broadcast which will significantly profile the tournament, and the country, on a global platform.

“We have national and international television this year live on all the four tournament days and that will make a massive difference and a great advert for Kenya. Kenya will be seen on the TV screen and the beautiful scenes here at the Karen Country Club will be passed around the world for everyone to see with the tournament being watched across the world by millions of viewers,” he underscored.

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DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, Jan 22 – Duke Abuya scored a brace as Kariobangi Sharks survived a late scare to beat Tanzanian league leaders Yanga 3-2 at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday evening and qualify for the semi-finals of the SportPesa Super Cup.

The game had to turn into an ugly end when Amisi Tambwe scored Yanga’s second goal from a header inside the box after keeper John Oyemba had held onto the ball.

A brawl ensued inside the net as the two sets of players fought for the ball resulting into a brawl that stretched almost five minutes, the two sets of players turning the game into a kick-boxing contest.

After tensions calmed, Sharks just but managed to hold on to the lead for the final few seconds.

Sharks were comfortably leading the game 2-0 via goals from Duke Abuya and Georeg Abege, but a defensive blunder from Geoffrey Shiveka gifted Amisi Tambwe an easy goal with three minutes of regulation time to make for a nervous end to the tie.

Shiveka slipped as he tried to shield the ball from the Burundian attacker who came off the bench and allowed him win the ball and face keeper John Oyemba one on one and score.

However, Abuya thought he had ensured Sharks were sailing to the semis with comfort when he scored in added time after wiping off the entire Yanga defense.

Tambwe again ensured nerves with a headed goal just after Sharks scored their second.

Herritier Makambo’s second minute open chance miss must have surely spelt a curse on Yanga as from there, Sharks took crisp control of proceedings and from their chances, two of them landed in the back of the net within the opening 45 minutes.

Makambo went through on goal after Geoffrey Shiveka’s defensive header brushed back to Makambo who was rushing to the ball and the striker took a first time volley which he failed to direct on goal with only John Oyemba to beat.

With a sizeable crowd of fans behind their backs, Yanga who have not lost in their last 20 domestic games sought to make amends but Sharks who were patient all through were not in any mood to panic.

And they made it count 10 minutes in from Duke Abuya’s well taken shot from outside the box after being teed up by Abege. But it was Harrison Mwenda who had done all the dirty work, dribbling into he box from the left and picking out Abege.

With a one goal advantage, Sharks were calm, controlled the tempo of the game with Patillah Omotto dictating the pace from midfield.

Yanga had a chance to draw back level in the 19^th minute but Mrisho Ngassa’s header off a well delivered Paulo Godfrey cross wasn’t on target with no pressure on his back.

But the visitors kept their tempo and continued creating chances.

Abuya tried his luck with an audacious volley from distance in the 26^th minute which went over before Vincent ‘Crucial’ Wasambo saw his header come off the crossbar five minutes later when he twisted well to connect to a Michael Bodo cross from the right.

Abege was next in the line of chances two minutes later as his bouncing header off an Omotto corner was tipped over for a corner by Yanga shot stopper Klaus Kindoki.

But, the lanky Ugandan whose goal sent Sharks to continental football finally got a reward for all his hard work upfront when he took a brilliant low shot off his weaker left foot from an Omotto through ball after Sharks turned over possession eight minutes to the break.

In the second half, Yanga boss Mwinyi Zahera started off by making changes, Haruna Mosho and Abdallah Shaibu coming off for Amisi Tambwe and Thabani Kamusoko as the tactician sought to spice up things in the final third.

Minutes later, he also hauled off Ngassa for Deus Kaseke.

Yanga pushed Sharks into their own half and forced them to defend deep, but the Kenyan side did not crumble but kept to their defensive shape.

They came close in the 56^th minute when Andrew Vincent rose high to head in a cross from Ibrahim Ajibu after Sharks keeper John Oyemba had missed the ball, but he couldn’t direct it on target.

Oyemba looked a bit shaky on dealing with crossballs and four minutes later he missed his attempt at collecting another but defender Bodo came to his rescue plucking the ball off Makambo’s head just a few yards off goal.

Makambo was proving wasteful for the home side and once again in the 72^nd minute he had a chance to halve the deficit for his side after winning back possession, but he took too much time twisting and turning away from his markers allowing Nixon Omondi time to race back and tackle as he prepared to pull the trigger.

Sharks made changes, skipper Eric Juma coming on for Harrison Mwenda, a clear tact that Sharks wanted to guard the result while Shaphan Oyugi also came on for Wasambo.

The post Sharks hold nerves to slay Yanga in Super Cup appeared first on Capital Sports.

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, Jan 22 – Gor Mahia head coach Hassan Oktay believes they have been placed in a fair CAF Confederations Cup group stage pool, but has picked out Egyptian giants Zamalek as the toughest team from the pool.

Gor have been placed in Group D alongside the Egyptian side, NA Hassan Dey of Algeria and Angola’s Petro Atletico. The Kenyan champions begin their campaign at home against Zamalek on February 3.

“It is a very fair group for us. When you are in the group stage, you shouldn’t pick things. You have to go out and play for a result. What I have noticed with us is that we play great at home and that is something we will maximize,” the tactician told Capital Sport.

The tactician added; “We now have to work to be good away from home and we need to get used to things like weather and different conditions,”

“I think Zamalek is the toughest team there and they will give us a big challenge. But, I have friends over there in Egypt and during my time in Saudi Arabia, I also coached some Egyptians so I have an idea of what they are capable of,”

“I will do my research also about the Angolan and Algerian teams and we will be prepared very well for them.”

Gor made it to their second consecutive group stage appearance in the Confederations Cup after holding Cameroonian side New Star de Douala to a barren draw in the return leg last weekend, having won the first leg 2-1 in Nairobi.

Oktay says he was pleased with the result and furthermore how his players executed the pre-match plan for the game and he believes they will keep improving as time goes by.

“It was very important for me and the team to qualify but most importantly for Kenyan football and the national team. It is a good test now to get into the group stages,”

“It was a difficult match and I even told my players before. We knew how to contain them because they did not have a plan B or C. I had two play with two defensive midfielders so that we win all the second balls. I knew I have players who can keep the ball and we did that very well especially in the final 20 minutes when they pressed,” he added.

As he plans to get into the group stages, Oktay’s biggest target is to plan better and improve the team especially in terms of finishing.

“I did one mistake when we played Lobi Stars and I don’t want to do the same mistake again. We have to go step by step and strategize to get a result. I am not worried now because we have a great target and with such good players we will achieve it,” the tactician further stated.

Last season, Gor missed out on a place in the quarter finals by just a point, with their loss at home to Rayon Sport toppling them out of contention.

This time round though, Oktay is optimistic that with better planning, they can breach that group stage membrane and get into the last eight for the first time ever.

“We will achieve that, I am not worried. We are improving day by day and the more matches we play the better we are. I found the team very unfit but now, they are getting into my philosophy very well. I have tried to inject some new things in the team and they are doing well,” he noted.

After playing Zamalek on February 3, K’Ogalo will take a trip to Angola to take on Petro Atletico in Luanda 10 days later before facing Na Hassan Dey at Kasarani on February 24.

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DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, Jan 23 – Having beaten home side Singida United 1-0 in the first round on Tuesday afternoon, Bandari FC head coach Bernard Mwalala has pegged in an ambitious target of reaching the final of the SportPesa Super Cup final in their debut year.

Bandari who have not lost a single game since January progressed via a William Wadri penalty and the performance from that match has given Mwalala confidence that he can achieve a place in the final.

 “The first game was to give us direction and now we have our targets set for this tournament. We know we have the ability to do well and get to the final. We successfully went through the toughest game of the campaign. The first match is always tough for any team,” Mwalala said after the match.

Bandari who are currently second in the Kenyan Premier League standings will meet either AFC Leopards or Simba SC in the semis with the two teams clashing in the late kick off on Wednesday.

Mwalala says he prefers Simba to Leopards.

“I want my boys to feel the atmosphere of playing against the big teams with a full set of fans in the stadium. We have played against Gor Mahia before and the players love that kind of experience because they also have a good crowd behind them,” Mwalala said.

He added; “Such kind of games are good for my players because they will get that experience and mentally, they will be strong.”

Looking back at the cagy affair against Singida, Mwalala admitted that they could feel some tired legs in the game but is quick to note they have lightened up and will be ready for whoever they will get in the semi.

“I will just have to assess the team and know who is fresher, who looks strong to start and that’s it. We won’t make many changes in any form of play. Only tactics will change depending on who we play. But the biggest thing is to field a fit side,” Mwalala further said.

He praised his charges for their effort and believes that their target of getting to the final is achievable especially if they keep working as a team.

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DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, Jan 23 – Kariobangi Sharks head coach William Muluya says he will give his defensive line some heavy talking to, after conceding two late goals in their 3-2 win over Tanzania Premier League leaders Yanga in the SportPesa Super Cup on Tuesday evening.

Sharks were comfortably leading 2-0 with three minutes of regulation time but conceded a cheap goal when Geoffrey Shiveka gave the ball away in a dangerous position for Amisi Tambwe to halve the deficit.

They went on to score a third, but no sooner had that happened than they conceded a second. The manner in which they conceded their first goal was a replica of the goal they conceded against Asante Kotoko in Accra in the CAF Confederations Cup.

The team has also been conceding late goals due to concentration blips and this, Muluya says is a huge concern for him.

“When the match is almost over, and you are leading 2-0, you should manage the game better especially as a defender,” Muluya pointed out.

“It is also something that the whole team should know; a match is 90 minutes and you don’t let your guard down until it is over. The defense should also know that it is not easy to score two goals and when they slacken, then it becomes bad for us,”

“It is something that I can fix and we will talk as a team because we need maximum concentration throughout the game,” Muluya stated.

The defensive blips notwithstanding, Muluya says he was pleased that his charges booked a semi-final slot in the tournament having failed to progress past last year’s first round match in Nakuru where they lost on penalties.

The tactician says the victory was a result of the team’s preparations which included a deep analysis of Yanga’s last league game against Stand United which they lost 1-0, their first defeat in over 20 games.

“We sat together and watched that game and we knew we were coming to face a tough team. They are doing well in Tanzania, leading the standings and they have a good crop of players. Despite the fact that we saw most of their string sides, we concentrated on improving our strengths to counter them,” Muluya stated.

He added; “I am happy for the victory and more so the players because they played for the team, they played for the badge and they played for the country because we are representing Kenya here.”

Sharks who are unbeaten back home in the Kenyan Premier League will take on the winner between defending champions Gor Mahia and Mbao FC who play in the early kick off on Wednesday in the third first round match.

If they will play against Gor, then Sharks will whet their appetite as they have beaten the champions in all their past three meetings.

Sharks dumped Gor out of the Football Kenya Federation Shield in the quarters last year on penalties and went on to beat them by identical 1-0 margins in the season opening KPL Super Cup as well as a league match.

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DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, Jan 23 – This year’s SportPesa Super Cup will have a new champion after Tanzania’s Mbao FC dumped defending champions Gor Mahia out with a 4-3 victory on post-match penalties at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday.

The game was forced to penalties after a 1-1 draw in regulation time and Mbao proved to be the luckiest in the lottery, scoring four of their kicks while Gor scored three, skipper Harun Shakava and defender Shafik Batambuze missing.

Mbao who are making their debut in the tourney will now face Kariobangi Sharks in the semi-finals on Friday.

Gor now go back home to focus on the defense of their Kenyan Premier League crown and their Confederation Cup campaign which starts early next month.

Gor head coach Hassan Oktay was sent to the stands after 21 minutes as he continued to protest Erisa Ssekisambu’s disallowed goal.

The Ugandan international tapped the ball into the net after he picked up a rebound when the Mbao keeper did well to keep out a header from Denis Oliech.

After a few minutes of argument with mediation from Francis Mustafa who tried to talk the Burundian referee out of sending the tactician to the stands, there was no change of heart as the Cypriot was forced to watch the rest of the tie from the spectator area.

On the balance of chances, the reigning champions had the best opportunities to score, and the closest save for Ssekisambu’s goal was Oliech’s effort from the left which came against the crossbar.

The legendary Kenyan striker took a daunting run on the left before chipping the ball goalwards and after beating the keeper, it came against the bar. Ssekisambu raced to the rebound, but he could not hit the target five yards from goal.

As early as the fourth minute, Gor had knocked on the Mbao door with Ssekisambu wasting a glorious opportunity after Cersidy Lumumba’s freekick loped behind the defense and found him well placed. However, he fired wide.

Two minutes later, a good interchange of passes on the right saw George Odhiambo put Lawrence Juma through, but the midfielder’s shot went wide when he had the goalmouth at his mercy.

On the half hour mark, Oliech’s well struck freekick after being set up by Odhiambo was deflected for a corner while four minutes later, a dipped ball delivered by Philemon Otieno found him waiting at the back post but the ball was poked away before he could pull the trigger.

In the second half, Gor began by making changes, Odhiambo and Geoffrey Ochieng coming off for Boniface Omondi and Shafik Batambuze.

But Mbao had come in more determined in the second half and had their first go at goal when Said Khamis cut in from the right with his shot spilled by Peter Odhiambo, but the keeper managed to bounce back and pick before an opponent pounced on it.

But two minutes on the turn, their urge for a goal was slowed down when they were penalized after Amos Charles handled the ball inside the box in an attempt to stop a shot from Ssekisambu.

Oliech stepped up and made no mistake from the spot sending keeper Metacha Mnata the wrong way to break the deadlock.

Gor should have made it 2-0 after57 minutes but no one reacted quick enough when Mnata spilled a corner from Omondi but his teammate Ally Kombo cleared the ball away a yard from goal before Batambuze pounced on it.

The introduction of Ngalema into the fray changed matters for Mbao with the diminutive midfielder’s trickery and pace causing Gor problems.

He showed a glimpse of his prowess in the 72^nd minute when he swung in a bicycle kick from inside the box off a freekick from the right but the effort went just wide.

Four minutes later though, he was in the corner celebrating a goal when he deflected Kombo’s shot from distance into the net after the latter had pounced onto a poorly defended corner.

Gor were pushed into more changes, Jack Tuyisenge and Francis Kahata coming on to try and salvage the situation.

Batambuze came close with three minutes left on the clock when he was fed off a short corner, but his curling left foot effort was turned behind for a corner by the keeper.

The post Mbao dump holders Gor out of Super Cup appeared first on Capital Sports.

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, Jan 23 – A late fight back from AFC Leopards did not bear fruit as the 13-time Kenyan Premier League champions fell 2-1 to Tanzanian giants Simba SC who qualified for the semi-finals of the SportPesa Super Cup at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday evening.

Goals in either half from Emmanuel Okwi and Clatous Chama did the damage for Simba despite Vincent Oburu’s mid-second half goal that sparked the futile fight from two goals down.

Simba who reached last year’s finals and lost to Gor Mahia will play another Kenyan outfit Bandari FC in Friday evening’s semi-final at the same venue.

Wekundu wa Msimbazi did not show any signs of a hangover despite arriving in the Tanzanian capital just a few days from a 5-0 thrashing at the hands of AS Vita in a CAF Champions League match in DR Congo.

The home side broke the deadlock after 13 minutes, Okwi striking them ahead with a deflected shot inside the box.

A brilliant team move by the home side saw Zana Coulubaly released on the right and the wingback laid in a brilliant first time well weighted cross met by Okwi at the backpost unmarked. The Ugandan swept his markers away before striking a stinging shot that was deflected beyond keeper Jairus Adira.

Simba had kept a commanding start to the match, keeping possession, passing with ease and pushed on by the sizeable crowd that had come out for the early evening kick off.

In the 19 minutes, Coulibaly sent Okwi through again this time with a long ball planted behind the defense. However, Adira was hawkeyed in the AFC goal and he rushed out quick, sweeping away the ball with his feet as Okwi tried to dribble past him.

AFC’s first chance of the game came through in the 24^th minute and it was off a set-piece, Robinson Kamura sending it straight to keeper Aishi Manula after Eugene Mukangula was axed at the edge of the area.

Four minutes later, Ingwe who were building their confidence step by step should have surely been level but Congolese striker Wayeka Tutawe, signed from Tanzania’s Africa Lyon in the beginning of the season wasted a glorious opportunity.

The forward muscled away from Rashid Juma on the left before breaking into the box, but he chose to cut back the ball to Brian Marita instead of shooting.

With the defense clouding around the winger, Marita was forced to tee up Edward Seda at the edge of the box but the midfielder’s shot was weak ending up in a routine save for Manula.

Two inutes later Tutawe came close when Marita knocked down Mukangula’s header for hm at the near post, but his shot brushed the bar on its way out.

At the start of the second half, Simba tactician Patrick Aussems made changes, Meddie Kagere, Murushid Juuko and James Kotei all coming on for Hunlede Kisimbo, Serge Pascal Wawa and Jonas Mkude respectively.

It took them just four minutes to double their advantage when Chama shot into the bottom right corner after being fed off by Okwi who had done well to sprint away from Isaac Kipyegon on the left.

Adira was called into a brilliant save in the 56^th minute when he sprung up brilliantly to tip over a Hassan Dilunga shot from distance after he was teed up by Okwi.

Despite going down twice, AFC made a case for themselves with constant attacks and they made changes upfront, Vincent Oburu coming on for Wayeka while Aziz Okaka was on for Brian Marita.

Barely with his first touch of the ball, Okaka set up Oburu for Ingwe’s goal, running down the right before squaring a pass that Oburu scrambled into the net.

AFC piled pressure to get the second goal and potentially send the game to penalties, but Simba held on for the slim advantage.

The post Simba claw Leopards to make Super Cup semi appeared first on Capital Sports.

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, January 23 – AFC Leopards have launched a protest to the Local Organizing Committee after their 2-1 SportPesa Super Cup loss to Simba SC on Wednesday over the use of an ineligible player by the home side.

According to AFC’s head of delegation and executive committee member Saul Abwao, Simba’s Lamine Moro who has been signed by Wekundu wa Msimbazi from Zambian top tier side Buildcon FC is yet to be duly registered by the Tanzanian Football Federation.

“According to the rules of the tournament, you can only use players who are licensed by Football Kenya Federation and the Tanzanian Football Federation. According to documents that we have in our possession, the player Lamin Moro is yet to be issued with an International Transfer Certificate,”

“His status on the International Transfer Matching System (TMS) says he is still active in Simba. So we ask, why is he playing when he is not duly registered. This is not a friendly match and the tournament rules are very clear,” Abwao said while brandishing documents printed from the TMS.

Moro started the game and this was the first time he was playing for the side.

A meeting by the tournament Organizing Committee is expected to deliver a verdict on the protest later on Wednesday.

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DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania Jan 24 – AFC Leopards’ appeal to have Simba SC eliminated from the SportPesa Cup due to the use of an unregistered player has been thrown out by the tournament’s International Match Organizing Committee (IMOC).

IMOC received documents from the Tanzanian Football Federation (TFF) confirming that the player in question, Lamin Moro is duly registered.

Leopards had lodged a protest against Ghanaian Moro who they said was not duly registered having just but arrived at the team from Zambian top tier side Buildcon. The game against AFC was his first in Simba colors.

The committee had a sitting after Ingwe the protest yesterday and have delivered the ruling here in Dar es Salaam, this afternoon.

“IMOC would like to respond and inform you that the player named Lamine Moro fron Buildcon FC (Zambia) was registered by Simba SC and approved by the Tanzania Football Federation with license No. 002821M94 issued on 15 January as per the SportPesa Cup 2019 Regulations, Section 5.5,” a decision from the IMOC, sent to AFC Leopards read.

According to the tournament rules, a player who is qualified to play in SportPesa Cup must possess a license in his club issued by its national association and registered in its federation. A national association can issue a temporary license for three (3) players to participate in this tournament.

Thus, the organizers have ruled that Moro played in the tournament rightfully and Simba have hence qualified for the semi-finals to play Bandari on Friday evening.

AFC leopards are already embarking on their journey to the airport and their flight from Dar to Nairobi is expected to leave at 4pm.

The post AFC Leopards’ Simba appeal thrown out appeared first on Capital Sports.

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, January 24 – Gor Mahia have already landed back in Nairobi after their shock exit at the SportPesa Cup on Wednesday following a 4-3 post-match penalties loss to Tanzania’s Mbao in the first round.

Head coach Hassan Oktay who was sent off to the stands after just 21 minutes protesting Erisa Ssekisambu’s disallowed goal has said the team will not be deterred by the exit and will instead turn that frustration into motivation to defend their league title as well as do well in the CAF Confederations Cup.

“We have to move on. We have important league games coming up and also we have the Confederations Cup games ahead and that especially is massive for us. We are in the group stage which is a great achievement and we now have to work to proceed to the next stage. It is okay we are out, but we have to move on,” the Cypriot said after the exit.

He has also denied that they underrated Mbao in the defeat and only says the opponents were more motivated on the day hence the victory.

“Our philosophy is that every game is big and important for us. We did not underrate them,” Oktay noted.

He was left seething at the referee’s decisions that included sending him off and two disallowed goals in either half which he says was a scheme from the match officials to deny them victory.

“The referee’s decisions and his behavior was bad. He doesn’t explain why he sent me off; the same linesman disallowed our goal and gives offside. We find bad referee decisions in Nigeria, we find the same in Cameroon, and now here in Tanzania,”

“But well done to them (Mbao), they have won and gone through,” Oktay stated.

On how his charges performed, the Cypriot tactician said he was satisfied and says he believes they have been improving and did well especially under the circumstances, noting they arrived in Dar es Salaam less than 48 hours to the Mbao game from Cameroon.

“We kept possession 60-70 pc. We were comfortable but we missed chances and that’s football, sometimes it happens,” he noted.

Gor will have just a few days to recover from the loss before their next Premier League assignment when they take on KCB in Machakos on Sunday.

After that, the side will prepare for their first Confederations Cup group stage match against Zamalek in Nairobi on February 3.

The tactician has meanwhile urged for calm from Gor supporters saying his team will come good. He says the fact that they did not have a good preseason and will be faced with a fixture congestion should be worry enough, but is optimistic with the squad depth they have they will be a better side as the season progresses.

The post We accept and move on-Oktay after Dar exit appeared first on Capital Sports.

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, Jan 24 – After slaying the giants in defending champions Gor Mahia, Mbao FC have warned their SportPesa Cup semi-final opponents Kariobangi Sharks to underrate them at their own peril, saying their confidence has been hugely boosted and are motivated.

Mbao came into the tournament as underdogs, but surprised all and sundry much to the joy of the Tanzanians after beating Gor Mahia 4-3 on post-match penalties.

Head coach Ally Bushiri believes that the victory over Gor has boosted their morale and will be in a better position to challenge Sharks for a place in the final of the tournament in their debut year.

“I have seen how Sharks play and they are a very good team. But, in this competition, there is no underdog. Before, it was thought we were underdogs and people talked so many bad things but we have proved we can make it. No one will now underrate us,” the tactician stated.

“I respect every team in this competition and I will go into any match knowing that I am facing a tough team,” he added.

Mbao who are placed fifth in the Tanzanian Vodacom Premier League came from a goal down to level scores against Gor on Wednesday before finishing the job in the shoot-oit.

Bushuri has revealed that he had a strict pre-match tactical plan that he says his players executed to the latter. His plan was simple, deny Gor time on the ball and defend with numbers.

“Tactical discipline helped us. When you are playing against such a big team with exposure and experience, you can’t keep playing attacking football. We wanted to possess and keep muc of the ball and the hit on the counter when we have the right moment,” the tactician oted.

He added; “We prepared well for them. We knew we are playing against of the giants in East African football and we had to prepare psychologically and physically. That preparation really helped us. I am proud of the players and their performance.”

On whether his side can go all the way to the final and get the coveted trophy and a chance to play English Premier League side Everton in July, Bushiri is not leaving anything to chance.

“In football anything can happen. This was a good start for my boys to beat Gor Mahia and build their confidence. We go into the semis knowing that we have beaten the defending champions and giants in East African football,” the tactician stated.

Mbao who reached the final of the domestic cup here in Tanzania last season are in some decent form having lost once over their last five league assignments, winning two and drawing a similar number.

Their only loss was against Keshi La Kujenga Taifa (JKT) on Sunday where they went down by a solitary goal.

The post Underrate us at your own peril, Mbao warn appeared first on Capital Sports.

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, January 25 – Having watched Bandari play in their 1-0 win over Singida United on Tuesday, Simba SC head coach Patrick Aussems expects a tougher tie compared to their game against AFC Leopards when the two sides clash in the semi-final of the SportPesa Cup on Friday evening at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam.

Aussems believes Bandari who finished second in last season’s Kenyan Premier League are tactically and technically superior than Leopards, but believes they will be able to overcome the Kenyan side and progress to their second consecutive final.

“I saw them (Bandari) play and I think they are on a higher level than Leopards and now we will also have to raise our level. We know that some good clubs are out and we will do our best to keep the cup here in Tanzania,” the Belgian said.

Simba beat Leopards 2-1 in the first round tie on Wednesday with Aussems heavily rotating his squad having come off a tough outing away in the CAF Champions League against DR Congo’s AS Vita in Lubumbashi where they lost massively 5-0.

Looking back at that AFC game, the tactician said he was pleased with only 60 minutes of the game and says they ‘played nothing’ after conceding from Vincent Oburu’s goal.

“We had a tough game last weekend in Congo and we had to play all players 45 minutes each. I have a group of 22 players at my disposal and we try to balance the squad as well. The first 60 minutes was good but after conceding a stupid goal, we didn’t play much after that,” the coach said.

He added; “We played AFC a few weeks ago here and we played them again in the first round of this competition and I think they made a good performance, sometimes it’s not easy when you play a team twice and I think they have improved since last game we played against them.”

Aussems said he had to give each player who had a big role to play in Lubumbashi at least 45 minutes but he expects them to be fresher against Bandari after having longer rest.

But still, the French tactician says despite the fact that he wants his side to win the tournament, his biggest target is to prepare for their third Champions League group stage match against Egyptian giants Al Ahly.

“We have come into this tournament with an objective to win it. But I will be honest the biggest thing for me is the game against Al Ahly. This game will help me prepare for Al Ahly. It is good because sometimes apart from training, you need some competitive matches to help you prepare,” he noted.

Simba are looking to become the first Tanzanian team to win the competition and are now Tanzania’s biggest hopes with giants Yanga having been eliminated by Kariobangi Sharks.

With defending champions Gor Mahia also eliminated from the competition, Aussems says they have a huge chance of seeing the title remain in Tanzania and earn the right to host English Premier League side Everton FC for their first pre-season engagement for the 2019/2020 season in July.

Simba expect their good run at the National Stadium to continue against Bandari with at some point club spokesperson Hajji Manara declaring that not even Barcelona can beat them at Taifa.

Simba has won two massive games at the stadium, a 3-1 victory over Nkana in the first round of the Champions League earning them a slot in the group stages while their last major engagement at the iconic stadium was a 3-0 beating of Algerian outfit JS Saoura in their first group stage match.

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DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, Jan 25 – The prospect of playing English Premier League side Everton FC in July is motivation enough for Kariobangi Sharks to win the SportPesa Cup here in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, head coach William Muluya says.

Sharks showed their title credentials when they shocked Tanzanian giants Dar Young Africans (Yanga) 3-2 in the first round match on Tuesday and are now labeled as the tournament’s dark horses as they prepare to face Tanzanian side Mbao in Friday’s semi-final.

But it is the prospect of facing an EPL side that motivates the young team which was only promoted to top tier football in Kenya in 2017.

“It is a motivation to play Everton because everyone wants to test himself against the biggest teams at the biggest stage. Everyone is looking for it and the fact that we have an opportunity is driving force enough for us,” Muluya told Capital Sport during his team’s training session on Thursday.

With a crop of players ranging from as young as 18 years, Sharks will be motivated to earn that chance to face Everton as it will give them an opportunity to be scouted as the friendly match to be played in July will be screened all over the world and watched by a myriad of scouts.

But even before they can think of facing Everton, Sharks have a semi-final against Mbao to think about, the very same side that dumped out the defending champions Gor Mahia.

Muluya is cautious of his approach against the side having watched them beat Gor on penalties and believes the Tanzanians are even way better than them.

“It is a very good side. In this tournament there is no weak or strong opponent. We saw them against Gor and looking at its history, they are a side that loves beating the so called big teams. In the league they picked points from Simba and Yanga and as a matter of fact it’s a side much stronger than us,” Muluya chided.

The tactician has at the same time stated that his side is not under pressure despite being labeled us one of the team’s to watch in the tournament and says all four side in the semi-finals have a chance of lifting the title.

Sharks were a relaxed lot during their pre-semi finals training session at the Uhuru Stadium with laughter and banter being served in equal proportion.

Muluya looked calm throughout and even played in a small five-aside game as he looked to build the strong bond he has with his players.

His sentiments are echoed by skipper Eric Juma who notes that the boys are calm and relaxed and will only be going in to play their own brand of football and enjoy the opportunity that comes with it.

“This is a tournament and of course we want to win it, but we are under no pressure. The fact that people are labeling us as favorites is good because it shows they appreciate that we are a good team. That is a motivation enough for us,” the defender who came on as a sub against Yanga said.

Sharks has been on steady progress since 2016 when they had their first hugely successful year, reaching the semi finals of the Football Kenya Federation Shield and earning promotion to the top tier.

In 2017, they reached the finals of the shield and finished within the top eight while last year, they finally won their first major silverware and represented Kenya in the CAF Confederations Cup.

Muluya says the confidence they have picked up from the Confederations Cup has made them a more solid side and expects bigger improvement and more achievements from the team this season.

“Playing Continental football was a big positive for us because it gave us so much psychological boost. We played under different atmosphere away from home and the players’ mental strength was built up and now, we believe there’s nothing we can’t face; small or big,” the coach also pointed out.

Last year, the Kenyan side exited the tournament in the first round after losing to Simba on post-match penalties.

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DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, Jan 25 – Bandari FC head coach Bernard Mwalala says he is excited at the prospect of facing Tanzanian giants Simba SC in the semi-final of the SportPesa Cup at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Friday afternoon.

Prior to the tournament kick off and their first round win over Singida United, Mwalala who made his name playing for Yanga in the Vodacom Premier League had hoped to play either against his former employers or Simba at one stage in the tournament.

This, he said was to give his players a taste of top flight Tanzanian football and his wish has been granted after progressing to the last four and landing a chance to play Simba on Tuesday afternoon.

“It will be a good experience for my players. They are young and it will be the first time they will play in a game with such an atmosphere. Playing against Simba or Yanga gives you the feel of it; that’s the sweetness of football. That experience will be great for them to build their confidence especially going back to the Kenyan Premier League,” noted Mwalala.

His sentiments are echoed by skipper Felly Mulumba who insists they are not scared of facing Wekundu wa Msimbazi.

“We respect Simba. It is a good team playing good football but we are under no pressure. The morale is high in camp and as Bandari, we love these big matches. Back at home in Mombasa, we don’t have as many fans as Simba do have,”

“But as players we love to play against a team which has a huge number of fans and we force them to turn against their own teams. There’s no pressure for us, we are waiting for the game to give our best,” Mulumba noted.

Bandari labored to beat Singida 1-0 via a William Wadri penalty and Mwalala has admitted the team didn’t play as well as he would have wished but is confident they will give an improved performance against Simba.

“We didn’t play our usual game against Singida because most of these players have never played international matches and it was a bit of pressure for them. We won’t change much though against Simba, we will just stick to our style and probably do well a bit on confidence,” Mwalala noted.

He added; “Simba is a very good team and I know they are very well prepared for this game. They have the disappointment of losing 5-0 in the Champions League and want to make amends by winning this tournament. But, we are ready for them,” Mwalala noted.

The former striker made his name playing for Yanga and he hopes a few will come to the stadium on Tuesday and cheer him on against their eternal rivals.

Bandari have not lost a single match since their 2-1 defeat to Wazito last September and having played most of their pre-season friendly matches in Zanzibar, they feel more or less at home playing in Dar es Salaam.

The dockers are playing their first ever Sportpesa Cup tournament and their minimum target coming in was at least to get to the semis. Now that they have achieved their target, Mwalala hopes they can go one more step and get to the final.

The opportunity of playing Everton in a friendly match also appeals to them and Mwalala has vowed to give his best to see the team go through.

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NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 25 – Kenyan Ruth Chepngetich moved up to third on the women’s world all-time list after storming to Dubai Marathon victory at the IAAF Gold Label road race on Friday.

Getaneh Molla produced the fastest marathon debut in history to win the men’s race.

In a fascinating women’s race, Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich achieved the third fastest time in history with 2:17:08. Only Britain’s world record holder Paula Radcliffe (2:15:25) and Kenya’s Mary Keitany (2:17:01) have ever ran faster.

The 24-year-old Chepngetich took more than two minutes off the course record of 2:19:17 and became the first Kenyan woman since 2006 to win in Dubai.

With a time of 2:17:41, second-placed Worknesh Degefa broke Tirunesh Dibaba’s Ethiopian record by 15 seconds and became the fourth fastest runner ever. The only other race where two women have broken 2:18 previously was in London in 2017.

Ethiopia’s Workenesh Edesa of Ethiopia took third place with 2:21:05.

In ideal weather conditions, Molla’s winning time of 2:03:34 is the first sub-2:04 time in Dubai. The Ethiopian improved the former course record by 26 seconds and became the sixth fastest marathon runner ever.

Second-placed Herpassa Negasa was close behind with 2:03:40, which makes him the eighth fastest runner in history. Asefa Mengstu completed an all-Ethiopian podium with 2:04:24 for third place.

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NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 25 – The 2016 Olympic marathon champion Jemima Sumgong has had her doping ban increased to eight years after her claims that she was injected with EPO by an “imposter” at a Kenyan hospital during a doctor’s strike were dismissed.

The unprecedented sanction was made after the IAAF’s independent disciplinary tribunal ruled there was “compelling evidence” Sumgong had also fabricated her medical records and lied about her whereabouts after a positive test for EPO in 2017, for which she later received a four-year ban.

That ban was doubled by the IAAF on Friday after the tribunal, chaired by Michael Beloff QC, decided Sumgong had committed a second anti-doping offence of “tampering with a doping control”. Because of changes to the World Anti-Doping Agency code the Kenyan was able to be punished with another four-year ban.

The ruling means Sumgong, who was the first Kenyan woman to win Olympic marathon gold, is banned until 3 April 2025.

The news was welcomed by Brett Clothier, the head of the Athletics Integrity Unit, who said it struck a blow against doping in Kenyan. “We hope that it sends a message to dopers that the AIU has strong investigative capabilities and does not tolerate false evidence in doping cases,” he said.

“We also want to underline the vital support of Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya in pursuing this case. They are a valuable partner in the fight against doping in Kenya.”

The remarkable case began when Sumgong tested positive for EPO in April 2017 – and then tried to explain it away by saying she had suffered a ruptured ectopic pregnancy on the 22-23 February 2017 which had led to an injection and a blood transfusion at a Nairobi hospital.

Shortly afterwards Sumgong, who had previously suffered an ectopic pregnancy in 2009, also provided anti-doping officials with five fabricated hospital documents to support her case.

However the Kenyan hospital confirmed she had not visited the hospital in February 2017, said her documents were fake because they lacked a unique hospital number, and insisted that such a serious problem as a ruptured ectopic pregnancy would have required a four-day stay at an acute gynaecology ward.

Sumgong later claimed she had been treated by an “imposter” because there had been a doctor’s strike which explained the lack of a proper record of her visit. However she was unable to explain how Wada’s whereabouts records showed she was in Kapsabet – a five-hour drive away – at the time.

In explaining his verdict, Beloff said he found “compelling evidence demonstrating the athlete submitted false medical documents to an anti-doping organisation and to the tribunal”.

“[It] can only be analysed as a deliberate attempt to prevent the administration of justice in her case,” he said. “Perjury and forgery inevitably go beyond the bounds of legitimate defence under any civilised system of law.”

Beloff also noted that Sumgong had also failed to provide evidence she had travelled to Nairobi in late February. “To put the matter colloquially she couldn’t be in two places at once,” he wrote.

-By Guardian- 

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DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, January 25 – Substitute Wilberforce Lugogo stunned the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania to deafening silence on Friday afternoon as he struck the winning goal 17 minutes from time, Bandari beating favorites Simba SC to book a slot in the final of the SportPesa Cup.

Bandari came from a goal down to to stun the pre-match favorites and proceed to the grand finale in their debut season.

Meddie Kagere had struck Simba ahead at the stroke of halftime before William Wadri drew the dockers level from the penalty spot in the 55^th minute. Lugogo however ensured the form book was upset with a well struck winner in the 73^rd minute.

Simba will now contest for the third placed slot with their eyes now fully cast on their Champions League group stage tie against Egypt’s Al Ahly in Cairo next week.

Kagere struck Simba ahead at the stroke of halftime, breaking the Bandari resistance that had lasted a whole 47 minutes.

The former Gor Mahia man was released through on goal with a delightful through pass by Yassin Muzamiru and he did what he knows best, striking a superb one time shot that beat keeper Faruk Shikhalo at his near post.

Bandari had held their own for much of the opening half, choosing to sit back, suck in the pressure and wait to sting the blood-thirsty Simba on the counter.

Despite their tact they still had some chances at goal and came closest four minutes to half time off a well executed counter, Yema Mwana’s cross from the right finding William Wadri, but the Ugandan’s header inside the box went just over.

Bandari had broken away just after defending a corner superbly well when keeper Shikhalo made a decent one handed save going down low to his right to palm away a stinging low shot from Clatous Chama.

Simba had spent much of the half possessing the ball and to their credit created a few chances. In the eighth minute, James Kotei’s shot from the edge of the area after being teed up from a freekick went wide.

The home side created their second chance from a set piece again, this time Mohammed ‘Tshabalala’ Hussein floating in a decent ball from the right, but an onrushing Sadney Urikhob missed the ball with the goalmouth at his mercy.

In the 25^th minute, Wadri tried his luck from distance with a shot after some good build up by Bandari, but it was way above target

On the half hour mark, Kagere showed his instinctive striking nature when he rushed into the near post after some good build up play by Simba but his shot from a tight angle was well handled by Shikhalo.

In the second half, Simba started off by making changes bringing on their stalwarts Serge Pascal Wawa, Haruna Niyonzima and Emmanuel Okwi as the dockers looked to go full attack.

Bandari’s Bernard Mwalala responded by bringing in Darius Msagha for King’atua who looked a bit jaded.

But, it was the dockers who took their chances early on and Wadri struck them level with his second penalty of the tournament in the 55^th minute after Hassan who was the most dangerous and most fouled Bandari player was brought down inside the box by Muzamiru.

The goal seemed to inject some confidence into the visitors and they made another change, Lugogo coming on for Abdallah Hamisi.

And Lugogo made the most of his opportunity when he scored a belter of a goal from the edge of the area 17 minutes to time, stinging in a shot after the keeper’s punch off a Hassan freekick fell kindly to his path.

The dockers recoiled to their pre-match tact, keeping possession and playing behind the ball.

An error from Bernard Odhiambo in defense almost gifted Simba a goal eight minutes to time when the stopper tried to turn away from Okwi inside the box. The Ugandan dispossessed him of the ball and cut back to Niyonzima at the edge of the box but his shot was over.

Two minutes later, Okwi almost made it 2-2 when he beat keeper Shikhalo to the ball off a Hussein cross from the left but his header was inches off the bar.

The post Bandari stun Simba, book SportPesa Cup final appeared first on Capital Sports.

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, Jan 25 – Kariobangi Sharks survived a nervous penalty shoot-out before edging out a stubborn Mbao FC 6-5 and set up an all-Kenyan final of the SportPesa Cup on Sunday where they will face Bandari FC.

The game was forced into penalties after a 0-0 draw in regulation time.

After skipper Patillah Omotto missed, Sven Yidah, Tom Teka, Geoffrey Shiveka and Nickson Omondi ensured Sharks remained in contention with Mbao’s Hamim Abdulkarim hitting the bar for a 4-4 draw in the first five.

In the sudden death kicks, Eric Juma and Mike Bodo scored while Amos Charles struck the bar for Mbao to see the Kenyan side go into the final.

Both sides employed a cautious approach to the game and the chances were few and far in between. The two sets of players chose to slow down the pace and only attacked on impulse.

Mbao, confidence boosted after ejecting defending champions Gor Mahia had the first effort at goal in the second minute of the match, Khamis Said trying his luck with a shot from range that however went over the bar.

Four minutes later, Herbart Lukindo pounced on the ball after Geoffrey Shiveka’s attempted clearance wasn’t succeful, but his shot was wide off target.

Sharks were not as dangerous as they were in their first game against Yanga, but had three shots on target, all saved by the opposing keeper Metacha Mnata.

First, Duke Abuya who scored twice against Yanga tried an effort on the half turn inside the box but Mnata parried it away with Harrison Mwenda not doing much with the rebound.

Abuya had another effort with a shot parried away before George Abege also tried, but he couldn’t find a way past the keeper.

Things didn’t change either in the second half and Sharks’ evening was spoilt with Abuya, man of the match against Yanga coming off with an injury and was replaced by Eric Kapaito, making his first appearance after returning from a long injury spell.

In the 70^th minute, Sharks should have made the most of a half chance when keeper Mnata parried away a Patillah Omotto corner to Shiveka’s path at the backpost, but the defender could not muster a shot on target.

Sharks boss William Muluya made more changes, Sidney Lokale coming on for Vincent Wasambo.

Lokale made his presence felt at the back being a constant menace and in the 75^th minute he came close with a well weighted shot from inside the box but keeper Mnata proved equal to the task.

Muluya made more changes with Eric Juma coming on for the jaded Mwenda while James Mazembe came on for Abege.

Sharks made their effort to score in the regular 90 minutes, but a combination of good defending and constant dragging of play saw the Mwanza-based Mbao push the game to spot-kicks.

The post Sharks survive penalties, sets all-Kenyan final appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 26 – Kenya Sevens will face Tonga in the Challenge Cup quarters in the Hamilton 7s in New Zealand after only managing to win one match in Pool C on Saturday.

Kenya finally found a formula to break through against France, winning 19-15 in their last match of the preliminary stage.

France had beaten Kenya 21-17 at Dubai 7s and 19-12 at Cape Town 7s during the pool stages. The win over France atoned for two previous losses to South Africa and Scotland where the team went down 29-10 and 19-10, respectively.

In the final pool game, skipper Jacob Ojee kicked it off with a second minute 102 meter coast-to-coast mad dash for the opener.

France were to tie it at 5-5 after a leveling unconverted try two minutes from Nisie Huyard. Ojee’s KCB club mate Vincent Onyala topped it up for Shujaa with the second try that Mwamba’s Daniel Taabu converted for a 12-5 half time lead.

Taabu, the 2018 National Seven’s Circuit Most Valuable Player (MVP), added a try that he duly added the extras for Kenya to tidy the score at 19-5.

The French response; two tries by Remi Siega and Jimmy Yobo turned out to be consolations as the game ended 19-15 for Kenya.

It was their first group win in the 2018/19 season having lost all pool games at the opening two legs in Dubai 7s and Cape Town 7s. It was the third win for the restructuring and rebuilding team in 13 games – adding on to their two wins over Zimbabwe (31-19) and Wales (33-26) in Cape Town.

-By Raga House-

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MELBOURNE, Australia, Jan 26 – Japan’s Naomi Osaka battled past Czech eighth seed Petra Kvitova 7-6 (7/2), 5-7, 6-4 to win her first Australian Open crown Saturday and become the new world number one.

The fourth seed and US Open champion made it two Grand Slam titles in a row after a see-sawing 2hr 27min match.

The hard-fought victory made Osaka the first Asian, male or female, to hold the world’s top ranking, taking over from Romania’s Simona Halep.

A rattled Osaka almost blew her title hopes with one hand on the trophy when she failed to convert three championship points when up 5-3 in the second set.

The never-say-die Kvitova won four straight games to force a deciding set before Osaka finally edged ahead with a decisive break early in the third.

The Japanese youngster fell to one knee in celebration, head bowed, after her epic win as Melbourne Park erupted in thunderous cheers.

It was a marked contrast to her maiden Slam win last year, when Osaka cried as boos rang around Flushing Meadows following losing finalist Serena Williams’ tirade at the umpire.

This time, Osaka wept tears of joy and smiled as she became the youngest woman to win back-to-back majors since Martina Hingis in 1998 and the youngest number one since Caroline Wozniacki in 2010.

Her performance confirms her status as the leading light of tennis’ new generation.

Predictions of a slugfest between two of the game’s biggest hitters proved accurate as Kvitova hit 16 winners to Osaka’s 14 in the first set.

The pair had never met before and Osaka initially struggled to unlock the lanky left-hander’s serve, while Kvitova at times could not handle her opponent’s powerful returns.

The Czech mixed up her game with drop shots and changes of pace but blew three break chances in a crunch sixth game.

Serving to stay in the set, Kvitova saved two set points to force a tie-break, which Osaka ran away with 7-2 after finally appearing to get a read on Kvitova’s serve.

It was the first set the Czech had conceded in the entire tournament.

Kvitova regrouped and kept her hopes alive with the first break of the match to go up 2-0 in the second after going after Osaka’s second serve.

Osaka was frustrated but did not panic, earning three break-back points in the next game, the decisive one off a Kvitova double fault, which she conceded with a poorly hit drop shot to put the set back on level terms.

Osaka, who went into the match with a record of winning 59 straight matches after taking the first set, broke again to take control as Kvitova’s error rate climbed.

Osaka then brought up three championship points off Kvitova’s serve but the Czech saved all of them, forcing Osaka to serve for the title.

Nerves took hold as Osaka conceded a break to make it 5-5, smashing a ball into the ground and putting her hands over her ears.

She was rattled further after losing a challenge in the next, bringing up break point with a cross-court backhand but was unable to stop Kvitova holding.

The Czech then broke again to seize momentum with her fourth straight game, claiming the set as Osaka left the court with a towel draped over her head.

She regained her cool and came out firing in the third, backing herself and clipping a clean backhand winner after another Kvitova double fault brought up break point in the third game.

She still had to see off a Kvitova break opportunity in the next but held comfortably, her mental demons put to bed.

Kvitova would not surrender, saving three break points before again forcing Osaka to serve it out. Osaka managed it on the second attempt for a famous victory.

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