Tusker FC booked their place in the Mozzart Bet Cup final after a tense 4-3 penalty shootout win over KCB FC following a goalless stalemate in regulation time at Nyayo National Stadium on Saturday, May 16.
The Brewers held their nerve in a high-pressure shootout to finally break KCB’s resistance, with goalkeeper Pavelh Ndzila stepping up as the decisive figure after saving the final kick from David Sakwa.
The victory sends Tusker into their first cup final since 2023, putting them one win away from ending a decade-long wait for the domestic cup crown. They will now face either Kenya Police FC or Bandari FC, who meet in the other semi-final.
For KCB, the defeat extends their long wait for cup glory. The Bankers, who last lifted the trophy in 2004 and reached the final as recently as 2024, once again fell short at the penultimate stage.
The semi-final started cautiously, with both sides prioritising structure over risk in the opening stages.
Tusker threatened first through a ninth-minute move when Stephen Etyang delivered a dangerous ball into the box that forced KCB goalkeeper Amatton Samunya into a sharp save, denying Erick Kapaito a close-range finish.
KCB responded midway through the first half, but Francis Kahiro failed to capitalise on a well-timed pass from Fabian Adikiny.
Tusker later came close through Thomas Omolle, whose half-volley attempt sailed over, while Kapaito also saw a promising effort blocked by Clyde Senaji.
KCB’s clearest opening arrived just before halftime when Kahiro was played through on goal, but hesitated too long, allowing Charles Momanyi to recover and snuff out the danger.
With neither side able to find a breakthrough after 90 minutes, the tie was settled from the spot.
Tusker converted through Ian Simiyu, Erambo, Ibrahim Joshua and Adikiny, though they had one miss after Dennis Iguma struck the crossbar.
KCB responded with goals from Mohammed Siraj, Kelvin Etemesi and Senaji, but misses from Mieno and Sakwa proved costly.
In the end, Tusker’s composure under pressure proved the difference, sealing a return to a major cup final and keeping their silverware hopes alive.
