Yei Joint Stars secured a rugged 2-1 win over New Generation Queens in a CECAFA Women’s Champions League Group B match played at the Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi on Sunday.
Goals from Makunda Joseph and Luka Debora led the Stars to all three points and up to top position on the group standings.
Hawa Juma scored what proved to be a consolation for the Zanzibar ladies who occupy the bottom position pending the next Group B game pitting Kenya’s Vihiga Queens against CBE of Ethiopia.
New Generation were the better team in the early exchanges and conjured the first shot in anger through Modong Simaya who pushed a rasping effort inches wide of goal, after having found a pocket of space on the edge of the area in the seventh minute.
Joint Stars should’ve opened the scoring three minutes later. A timely interception from Aziza Haji seemed to have cleared the danger but spilled the ball, allowing Mary Dan a shot at goal.
The Zanzibar’s custodian saved Annet Vita initial effort before the Joint Stars attacker poked the rebound wide with the goal at his mercy.
Joint Stars continued to knock on Aisha Khatibu’s door and went close moments later and finally got a goal courtesy of Makunda, who easily placed a powerful shot past Khatibu.
Twenty minutes later, Joint Stars scored their second. Kileka Lokonga was once again in the thick of the action and provided the assist for Luka Debora to hit home and make it 2-0.
The momentum was with New Generation after the restart and Hawa Juma easily found of the net on the 48th minute after capitalizing on poor Joint Stars defence.
The South Sudanese then took control of the match, with Sarah Yesona hitting the crossbar with a curling effort from a free-kick.
The ball then fell kindly for Simaya in the box, but the attacker placed her effort over the crossbar from close range as the Yei giants looked to extend their lead.
Elizabeth Mpoma found some rhythm as the second stanza wore on and tested Nawal Majok as Ester Masawe warmed the goalkeeper’s hands in the 81st minute.
Join Stars had the attacking momentum in the dying minutes and effectively kept New Generation at bay ,as they claimed maximum points in Group B opener.
In the opening Group A matches played on Saturday, Uganda’s representatives Land Doves thrashed Djibouti’s FAD FC 5-0 while Simba of Tanzania clawed Burundi’s PVP 4-1.
