The win took the Paul Nkata-coached brewers to the summit of the log on 13 points. Bandari and Ulinzi Stars shared the spoils after fighting to a 1-1 draw under the searing Mombasa heat at the Mbaraki Sports Club.
After a slow start to their quest for an 11th league title, Tusker finally got their campaign underway with a thumping 3-0 victory over Chemelil Sugar in a lop-sided duel at the Chemelil Sports Complex on Wednesday.
The win took the Paul Nkata-coached brewers to the summit of the log on 13 points.
And with Mathare United, who were joint leaders with AFC Leopards on 11 points prior to Wednesday’s matches, losing 2-0 to Nairobi City Stars at the Nyayo National Stadium, Leopards - who were set to face Kakamega Homeboyz last night at the same venue - had the chance of taking leadership of the table with a win over the visitors.
It was a bad afternoon for Mathare who had appeared compact in their recent matches. However, City Stars gave an assured performance and picked their first win of the season to lift them to six points.
Striker Ezekiel Odera rediscovered his scoring form with a fourth minute goal before captain Oscar Mbugua stabbed in the second in the 63rd minute.
In Chemelil, Tusker were in riotous form scoring through Luis Misiko, who claimed his first goal for the club since he joined the outfit from OGC Nice in France. Ghanaian national Stephen Owusu was also on target to extend the advantage before James Omino turned the ball into his own net late in the second half.
ULINZI, BANDARI DRAW
Bandari and Ulinzi Stars shared the spoils after fighting to a 1-1 draw under the searing Mombasa heat at the Mbaraki Sports Club. The soldiers took the lead in the 10th minute through Cliff Kasuti but the home team levelled in the 44th minute through Shaban Kenga.
Bandari head coach Twahir Muhiddin was once again left fuming after his players missed decent scoring opportunities. “We deserved to win the game but we drew because our players missed a number of scoring chances,” said Muhiddin.
His counterpart, Robert Matano said they played well and deserved to win. “My players played better in the second half after having read their opponents’ pattern of play and accustomed to the hot-humid condition,” said Matano.
At the Ruraka grounds, Posta Rangers and Sony Sugar also settled for a one-all draw. Ugandan import Robert Omunuk scored for Sony with a sublime header but Timothy Otieno - who earlier on in the day had been feted as the February SKJAK-SportPesa Player of the Month - equalised to take his season’s tally to four goals.
“It was a difficult game bearing in mind that we have just come from the international break. It is even more difficult when you play a team who opt to play with bodies behind the ball,” Sony coach Zedekiah ‘Zico’ Otieno lamented after the game.
In Kisumu, Sofapaka’s free-fall continued after they were hit 1-0 by Western Stima. Veteran midfielder Francis Ocholla made all the difference scoring a brilliant goal in the first half.
Elsewhere, Muhoroni Youth lost 2-1 Ushuru. Wycliffe Ochomo scored for Muhoroni but goals from Charles Okwemba and Denis Wafula gave the tax men the win.
RESULTS
Western Stima 1-0 Sofapaka
Bandari 1-1 Ulinzi Stars
Posta Rangers 1-1 Sony Sugar
Tusker 3-0 Chemelil Sugar
Muhoroni Youth 1 -2 Ushuru
Mathare United 0 –2 City Stars
Reports by Isaac Swila, Gaitano Pessa and Abdulrahman Sherrif
