Substitute Shaban Ahmed curled in a penalty with a minute to go as Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) edged Impala Saracens 20-18 to retain the Impala Floodlit rugby tournament title on Saturday at the Impala Sports Club grounds.
It was a repeat of last year’s final where Ahmed scored in similar fashion to help the bankers emerge victors 18-17.
It was yet another victory for Curtis Olago’s side that sealed their seventh Impala Floodlit success but not without drama at the end the duel.
Leading 17-13 with four minutes to go, KCB conceded a penalty deep in their 22m.
Impala fly-half Mark Kwemoi kicked for touch before they won the lineout to pushover for a try through hooker Joshua Matasi. Impala reclaimed the lead 18-17 after a missed conversion.
Then the unrelenting KCB charged into Impala’ s territory after restart to get a penalty on the right before Ahmed stepped up to slot in to recapture the lead 20-18.
Shortly after the restart, Impala got a penalty after an infringement 30m off. Bernard Rotich’s effort sailed wide as the hooter sounded to the joy of the bankers.
Scrum-half Samuel “Tintin” Asati, who was named man of the match, gave KCB the lead with a try before Impala winger Quinton Ongo and scrum-half Xavier Bett got back with a try each. The conversions went wide as Impala led 10-5.
Winger Isaac Njoroge levelled for KCB 10-10 with a try as the teams took a break.
Second-row Francis Mwita, who was declared the tournament’s most valuable player, shot KCB back to the lead with a try. Fly-half Stephen Osumba converted to put the bankers ahead 17-10.
Bett’s penalty reduced the deficit for Impala at 17-13 before Matasi’s exploits.