Shamberere TTI pulled off a dramatic upset in the Mwamba Cup, securing a last-minute try to edge Western Bulls 29-27 at the Bullring Grounds in Kakamega.
Western Bulls opened the scoring in the 8th minute through a penalty by Meshack Okari.
Shamberere try
Shamberere soon grew into the game, overpowering the Bulls’ pack and capitalizing on quick backline moves.
Their efforts paid off when Andrew Barasa finished off a pick-and-drive sequence for a try, giving them a 5-3 lead.
However, Fidel Wekesa missed the chance to extend their advantage with a failed conversion.
The Bulls responded with a quick-tap penalty, which saw Fidel Nyota dive over for their first try, converted by Okari for a 10-5 lead. The remainder of the first half saw no further points as both sides tightened defensively.
In the second half, the Bulls started strongly, with Nyota breaking through on the right wing to score, though Gascoigne Muganzi missed the conversion. Shamberere replied with a penalty kick by Wekesa, reducing the deficit to 15-8.
A quick tap penalty by Ian Munahera caught the Bulls’ defense off guard, and he scored under the posts. Wekesa’s conversion tied the score at 15-15.
Shamberere then intercepted a Bulls pass, allowing their winger to race coast-to-coast and earn an attacking scrum.
After a series of penalties, Munahera’s long pass from a penalty tap found Barasa for a converted try, pushing Shamberere into a 22-15 lead.
The Bulls countered with a powerful carry by Reinhard Ashoya, earning a try that Okari converted to level the score at 22-22.
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Nyota exploited another quick tap penalty to score on the right wing, but Okari missed the conversion, leaving the score at 27-22.
In the dying minutes, Ashioya received a yellow card for a high tackle, reducing the Bulls to 14 men.
From the resulting scrum, Shamberere capitalized as Wekesa’s perfectly weighted kick bounced into the hands of Keith Wekesa, who crossed the line to seal a 29-27 victory.
