This archive report was first published on 21 August 2019.
On Wednesday, Embu Water Company made history by becoming the first side to qualify for the quarter-finals of the National Water Companies Sports Organization (WASCO) Games. They achieved this impressive feat by thumping Kenya Water Institute (KEWI) 9-0 at the Moi Stadium in Embu.
Leading 5-0 at halftime, Nicodemus Omasete's charges scored through Dennis Mwiathi and Victor Gitonga, who both registered hat-tricks, while Erick Kivuti scored a brace, and Eric Munene added the ninth goal.
Embu had already won their opening match on Tuesday, defeating Kiambu Water Company 2-0 to top their Pool D with six points, securing their quarter-final slot.
Embu's victory was marked by a confident start, with Simon Njue and Victor Gitonga playing short passes to each other, allowing Eric Munene to open KEWI's defense and score the opener in the eighth minute, assisted by Njue.
With Embu having the most possession, Victor Gitonga received a through pass from Skipper Stanley Irungu, sending KEWI's goalkeeper Ernest Ouma the wrong side of the goal post to add the second in the 28th minute.
Two minutes later, Gitonga scored his brace and Embu's third after connecting a corner from right-back Eric Munene.
As KEWI became exhausted, their poor defending allowed Eric Kivuti to register his name on the score sheet, making it four goals for Embu.
At the stroke of halftime, Gitonga scored his hat-trick after KEWI's defense thought they had played an offside trap, only for the linesman to keep the flag down, allowing the striker to place the ball in the furthest right corner, making it 5-0 at halftime.
After scoring a goal in yesterday's match, winger Dennis Mwiathi came back fully charged in the second half, scoring his first and Embu's sixth goal in the 49th minute after connecting Victor Nyaga's long-range cross.
It just took him five minutes to score his brace after Simon Njue played a cut back, sending KEWI's defense the wrong side together with the goalkeeper, leaving Mwiathi with an open net to score Embu's seventh goal.
In the 78th minute, Mwiathi found himself once again one on one with keeper Ouma, tapping it to make it 8-0.
With KEWI hopeless in the last ten minutes, Erick Kivuti capitalized on a corner brought in by Njue to score a header, leaving the match to end 9-0 at fulltime.
Excited Embu head coach Nicodemus Omesete now shifts focus to the quarter-finals, where they will either face defending champions Nairobi Water Company or Kakamega Water Company, who face off in Pool B match decider at the Embu University ground this evening.
