NAIROBI — A popular saying within sheng circles is that 'hakuna mkate ngumu mbele ya chai;' -- there is no bread that is too tough to dissolve when dipped inside tea.
However, for AFC Leopards, it seems like BB Bread proved a crust too hard to crack as they crumbled at the first hurdle of the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Cup at the Police Sacco Stadium on Sunday evening.
The felines have been a team reborn this season, breathing down the necks of their arch-rivals Gor Mahia in the Kenya Premier League title race.
Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines
Their FKF Regional League side, however, proved a different cup of tea as they cruised to a 2-0 lead.
Coach Fred Ambani's charges did well to claw back into the tie, Kennedy Owino and James Kinyanjui finding the back of the net to level matters for the KPL giants.
The ultimate heartbreak awaited Ingwe in the penalty shootouts where Ajastine Okoba's side held their nerve for the win as Owino skied his spotkick over the bar for one of the biggest upsets in the history of the domestic competition.
In goal for the winners was an Ingwe alumnus, Ezekiel Owade, whose experience proved vital for the minnows, solidifying the backline against the marauding attacks of the feline.
Speaking after the match, Okoba said the win was no surprise to him, having seen the quality of players in the squad.
"Everybody has been working hard throughout the week for this match...all the players as well as the technical bench. You can see how they have given their all in the match. We were tactically better than our opponents...even the two goals they scored were as a result of a mistake from our side. Our players are not used to playing at this level," the gaffer said.
Following the win, Okoba is now dreaming of a fairytale run in the competition.
Nonetheless, preparation is key to success, a fact not lost on the tactician.
"We will prepare ourselves well while waiting for our next opponent. We just want to take it game by game," he said.
No child's play
Speaking at the same time, Owade said their display against Leopards is testament to the levels of talent in the lower leagues.
"One thing I would say is that there is a lot of talent in the lower leagues. Competition is tough and teams are not afraid to come out and attack. I would encourage the coaches in KPL to come down here and scout for more talents," he said.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Despite ending on the winning side, Owade empathised with Ingwe, urging their fans to be patient with the team.
"That is the nature of football...these are things that happen in the game. I would encourage the fans to not be hard on the players. That they lost today does not mean that Ingwe are a bad team," Owade, who donned the Ingwe jersey in 2017-20, said.
BB Bread were formerly known as Kayole Youngsters before their acquisition by Broadways Bakery Bread.
