It was fire kun fire as PSC OOT had its first match against Mombasa Sports Club as Veteran Captain Madinginyo looked for his sixth win in a row. Parklands came psychologically prepared that a win was impossible and a draw the best they can conjure up while a loss almost inevitable. Two hours before kickoff the lineup was up; latest addition to the team goalkeeper Sam set to maintain his position in between the sticks. A lack of natural center backs had fullbacks Lefty and Droopy trying to fill in the huge shoes of Steve and Kamdam. Waire and Drury were trusted in the fullback position and Masoni at the CDM. However, a little rendezvous by Masoni resulted in him missing the start of the match with Zlatan passing a late fitness test to start in the middle of the pack. Supporting Zlatan were Chubar and Ogochee with Hamuli and Brian Yego on the flanks and Sisco leading in attack. Evergreen Mandinginyo in his 61st year was not taking any risks this time round in relying on the referee as they went big on recruitment with Bandari FC attacks. They say playing away is difficult but this one was always going to be a tall order. Never say die was the attitude as PSC also proved to have firepower of their own in the form of Sisco and Mayele. However, it was Mombasa Sports Club that took the lead with a swift move down the left with the ensuing cutback unstoppable with the goalkeeper having the easiest of tasks in picking the ball from the back of the net. Settling into the game Parklands became more dangerous with Drury finding Zlatan who set Sisco loose with his firepower proving too good as he drilled the ball into the back of the net. Quick fire goals followed with Ogochee setting up Chubar through on goal with a wicked outboot that had the Mombasa Sports Club defense standing like cones. One-on-one and Chubar had the ball in the net. Mombasa was stepping up with their Bandari mercenaries giving Drury and Waire hell on the wings with their speed that was akin to doping. Sam was having to step up to make unbelievable saves. Mombasa Sports Club upped their tempo and it became attack after attack with the back four having a difficult time soaking the pressure. Ogochee dropped deeper to help shut down the midfielders and even he could only shout “mko wapi” as he ran left and right looking for that ball. Mayele who was enjoying taking on his winger with step over after step over finally had an end product, dancing between two players before setting up Brian Yego who looped over the goal keeper to make it 3-1 as Parklands continued their impressive comeback. The temperature was not the only think hot in Mombasa as Zlatan’s knee gave way as the midfield battle intensified. The second PSC undoing of the game occurred the first being Masoni being late to the game. Off went Zlatan and in came Mutua in what proved to be an act of removing a cyclops for a blind man. First touch, second touch and first aid box as Ben 10 the first aider saw more action in the 5 minutes period than any player. After a lengthy period he was subbed off for Izo who had an immediate impact. Shutting from the front Izo was at hand to win the ball and his shot was too much for the goal keeper at it zoomed into the side netting for 4-1. Mombasa Sports Club rang in the changes increasing fire power in the form of Bandari’s Kinyajui who now would provide Mosha company in pace and skills. Kinyajui’s take off proved to be impossible to match as he left Waire for the dead before Lefty bundled him in the box for a penalty. Kinyajui woke up to dust himself and drill the ball home via the post. It was Madinginy’s pinpoint passes, Mosha and Kinyajua running the show with Parklands defense having nowhere to hide. The wingers were making the runs while the ball was finding them with the halftime referee whistle proving a saving grace. The second half started where the first began with Mombasa Sports Club in the driving seat of the match. Sisco loosing the ball in the midfield initiated a quick counter attack with MSC FC quick one-two dissecting the Parklands defense like a caesarian operation but this one it was not a woman giving birth but MSC FC decreasing the goal deficit. 4-3 with the wasteful Mosha finally on the scoring sheet. Parklands rang in the changes Aboutriaka Keya for Droopy with Izo dropping to defense, and one Yego for another as Kiptoo replaced Brian. In what proved to be substitutions only being seen as they entered the pitch the game proved too difficult for the new players to get comfortable. Masoni was thrown in for Drury but his contribution proved to be the square root of zero. In his case, the team had to wait until the final moments of the game during team talk for Masoni to make his team’s contribution as he requested to know the difference between “sambusa” and “samosa”. – for those who didn’t, Samosa is the vegetable, viazi, minjiminji triangular shaped thing you will find in kinoo and the greater mountain region also significantly enjoyed by the 48 tribe in Kenya Indians while sambusa is the the meaty triangular thing we love especially when it has chilly ingrained in it. The equalizer was in the air, as MSC FC stepped up into gear five while Parklands seemed to lack ideas. Looking at the bench for a savior was Trevor but the only thing he can see at night are tiddies and not the ball. Hayawi hayawi huwa as MSC FC equalized with the offside goal of the season Sam punch of a stinging shot falling in the hands of Kinyajui who was alone in front of goal for a tap in. The fifth came soon after with Madinginyo releasing Kinyajui who left the defenders for the dead and buried the goalkeeper as the requiem songs began on Parklands Sports Club. There was still time for the goal of the day as confusion between Chubar and Ones allowed Mosha to steal the ball, before some sambusa tikitaka, chobo ua shit, that had the Parklands defenders mesmerized, the goalkeeper looking for termites in the grass as the sixth goal was squared into the box. There was no coming back for Parklands as the eminent lose proved too much, with Izo losing his cool and forgetting the name of the club. Waire had to provide him a reminder and send him to the bench to cool off to prevent the game from boiling into an ugly scene. Parklands looked for some saving grace with Chubar going close with a ravishing shot but a sack full of goals was all Parklands will take back to Nairobi. Murife could not run. As the final whistle came, asiye kubali kushindwa si mshindani – tulikuja Nairobi kujienjoy si kushinda. Everyone decide to mourn the loss differently as team cartel chose to use some honey’s to forget their problems pertaining into the middle of the night. With Mwai being told after his substitution everything went “parakacha” while having his belly rubbed, I discovered that Lefty’s six pack is nothing when you cannot entertain the galdem. The rest was off the record as team kitungu waited until the middle of the night to cook their food. Ogochee who is normally animated had gone to sleep immediately after the game and for the first time lacked words as he ate in silence. Lefty was too tired to even shower as the room struggled from the exercise they had received. Where there are honey’s trust Ogochee to go and chungulia – and he was up to his tricks again as he went to confirm the state of his honey’s. Wherever Masoni is he must be thanking the gods that Ogochee is very far away. Bandari Wazee awaits in the second match
