India to face Kenya in Intercontinental Cup final

Team Udayavani, Jun 9, 2018, 10:33 AM IST

Mumbai: India will face Kenya in the summit clash of Intercontinental Cup after the African side hammered a listless Chinese Taipei 4-0 in the last league match of the four-nation football tournament here today.

After today’s result, Kenya, India and New Zealand ended on six points each from two wins and the Kiwis missed out on the basis of goal-difference. 

Kenya made it to the final to be played on Sunday on better goal difference of plus two as against plus one of New Zealand. India has a goal difference of plus seven.

India had beaten Kenya (3-0) and Chinese Taipei (5-0) before losing to New Zealand (1-2).

Chinese Taipei were already out of the tournament having suffered consecutive losses to India (5-0) and New Zealand (1-0). They were the only side who did not score a single goal.

Dennis Odhiambo gave Kenya the lead in the 52nd minute before Joackins Atudo made it 2-0 three minutes later as he converted a penalty kick.

Substitute Timothy Otieno scored Kenya’s third goal in the 69th minute while Atudo made it 4-0 in the 88th minute.

Ovella Ochieng swung in a corner into the centre of the box where an unmarked Odhiambo netted the ball to give his side the lead.

For the third goal, Otieno chased a routine pass towards the Chinese Taipei goalkeeper who missed it and the Kenyan forward slotted the ball home. Atudo then completed the tally from a rebound.

Earlier, Kenya had a chance to take the lead in the fourth minute as their strikers built up an attack but Miheso Cliffton, instead of chipping over the goalkeeper, shot straight and the Chinese Taipei custodian managed to keep it at bay. 

In the 19th minute, Kenya wasted another chance to score. Jockins Atudo gave a through ball to Mutamba, who failed to convert it. 

Later, Duncon Otieno took a shot from close range but that flew over the bar.

Chinese Taipei suddenly counter-attacked and had three good chances to go ahead. The best came in the 29th minute when Hao-Wei Chan released Ching-Ming Wang on the overlap into the box and the striker took a shot, but it fell onto the safe hands of Patrick Matasi.

At the half way mark, the scoreline was 0-0.