Shakava netted the sole goal of the match staged at Afraha Stadium to aid his side lift the first silverware in 2018.
Shakava was elevated to the wear the captain’s armband following the exit of long serving centre-half Musa Mohammed, who joined Albanian side, FK Tirana and luck was on Shakava’s side in his first game as the club’s new captain.
Gor dominated the game for the better part of the opening stanza and seemed lethal in all departments, regularly calling on Leopards’ goalkeeper Gabriel Andika into action. Ingwe, under the tutelage of veteran head coach Robert Matano, grew into the match and their first chance came barely 20 minutes into the game when Ghanaian import Prince Arkoh scythed a fierce shot with Boniface Oluoch proving equal to the task.
Leopards centre-half Abdallah Salim was later forced to save a goal bound move between Godfrey Walusimbi and Jacques Tuyisenge after escaping the attention of a few defenders.
After a long quest, Gor Mahia’s resilience finally paid off in the 40th minute when Shakava gave them the lead from George Odhiambo’s cross. The over-lapping Kenyan international send a powerful header past Ingwe’s stopper Gabriel Andika, handing his side the first goal which turned out to be the match winning goal.
In the second half, Gor Mahia made changes, bringing in Kevin Omondi and Ephraim Guikan for Odhiambo and Meddie Kagere but the new entrants could not double the figures on the scoreboard.
Ingwe had a better chance in the 65th minute but Baker Lukooya failed to connect Joseph Kuria’s well floated ball. Walusimbi hit the wood works minute later after a well curled effort from the left-flank following a quick break counter attack.
The two teams shift their focus on the upcoming Kenyan Premier League season as well as continental assignments.
-Meshack