AFC Lepards Maul Ethiopia's Defence

Courtesy of Goal.Com
 
AFC Leopards’ are through to the next round of Caf Confederations Cup after stopping Defence of Ethiopia 2-1 at National a Stadium in Addis Ababa on Sunday.

Lethal striker Allan Wanga, who was coming back from injury, scored both goals to ensure his side goes through on a 4-1 goal aggregate as they had won the first leg 2-0 in Nairobi one week ago.

Allan Wanga: Scored a brace

It was the home team, who scored first when Michael Dessta's free-kick in the 39th minute went in unchallenged. Dessta's well curved free-kick went neatly passed Leopards’ backline and into the top right corner as Wycliffe Kasaya in goal watched.

The goal was always coming as the home side kept up the pressure from the word go. Wycliffe Kasaya was forced to dive and keep out a Solomon Ferew low effort in the 12th minute resulting in the first corner of the match.

Leopards should easily have gotten a goal from the counter-attack initiated by Allan Wanga and he did well to play with Jacob Keli. The former KCB man however, opted to pass the ball to Augustine Etemesi though going for goal would have been easier.

Then Martin Imbalambala was forced to come out and stop Mulualem Tilahun, who was rushing for goal but in the ensuing melee earned himself a yellow card which locks him out of the next match.

An unmarked Jacob Keli wasted the first real chance to put Leopards’ ahead in the 15th minute after he was quickly dispossessed when he hesitated to pull the trigger but it was Peter Opiyo, who made the first effort at goal with a well timed shot.

The Leopards’ backline continued to soak the pressure and it was always a matter of time before they cracked. The short passes proved overwhelming and at the half hour mark Leopards’ were forced to defend two corners.

In the 39th minute, Dessta's free-kick separated the two sides.Veteran defender James Situma also ended the first half on a yellow card as he protested a free kick awarded to their opponents.
As the second half kicked off, Leopards’ were on the offensive from the word go resulting in Wanga's equalizer.

The lethal striker was picked out by Bernard Mang’oli and from it he beat the Defence goalkeeper with a powerful shot. The second came from an almost similar situation. With two minutes to go, Abdalla Juma raced down the left flank and found Wanga, who turned and slotted home with the easiest of efforts.