Kenya rally to floor BotswanaBy JOHN ASHIHUNDU in Nairobi | Friday, July 13  2012 at  11:18

KCB forward Raphael Mungai struck a brace as the Kenya national Under-23 team staged a stunning comeback to beat Botswana 3-1 in an international friendly at the Nyayo National Stadium on Thursday night.

Botswana’s Tebogo Sembowa opened the scoring in the 18th minute after collecting a sublime pass from Phenyo Mongala after a defensive mistake by Eugene Asike.

Kenya were poor in the first half and gave balls away too easily with the midfield lacking creativity.

Things could have been worse for the hosts towards the end of the half when the defence fumbled again to gift Mongala a ball outside the box, were it not for goalkeeper Lucas Indeche’s wavelength save.

Superb pass

After the break, coach James Nandwa’s charges returned the better side and began staging attacks in search of an equaliser from the whistle.

Clifford Miheso pulled the scores level with an angled header after a superb pass from substitute Enock Agwanda from the right.

In the 53rd minute, the Agwanda throw-in was easily tapped home by Raphael Mungai as Kenya took the lead to exert their authority on the match.

The hosts continued pressing forward and were duly rewarded in the last third of the match after Miheso fed Mungai inside the box.

The gifted Mungai cooly rounded a defender then blasted a shot past the advancing Botswana goalkeeper Noah Maposa to the far left corner to make it 3-1 in the 69th minute.

Agwanda had a chance to make it 4-1 but his three successive shots were dealt with.