NAIROBI, Kenya, July 11 – Chemelil Sugar succumbed to their second successive home defeat when they went down 1-0 to struggling Nairobi City Stars in a Kenyan Premier league (KPL) match played in Awasi on Friday.
Midfielder Dennis Okoth, who was named man of the match, netted the solitary goal in the 33rd minute after tapping in veteran Justus Basweti’s rebound to give his side their first victory in nine.
“We are happy we won today and words can’t express because it’s been long since we won, I had an instinct that I could score and that’s why I decided to make one move and the good thing is that it went in.
“We are just looking forward to other matches and hope we will keep working hard to get a win again and avoid relegation,” Okoth said after the win.
The Sugar Millers are now fourth on 28 points after they failed to displace Tusker from the top while City Stars widened their gap from the relegation zone to eight points.
The hosts who were looking to bounce back from their 2-0 loss to Bandari, made three changes with head coach Mike Mururi starting Fredrick Onyango on goal for Jairus Adira, Wellington Murwayi who benched Willis Ouma in the defence and David Nyanzi for Meshack Karani upfront.
Briton Tim Bryett, on the other hand made a couple of changes from the squad that lost 3-1 to KRA with Fredrick Majani replacing Kevin Omondi in between the sticks as Oscar Mbugua and Nelson Marasowe were drafted into the first X1.
Chemelil got off to a good start with Hillary Echesa coming close in the 11th after making a good run from the right but unfortunately his effort was deflected by defenders for a fruitless corner.
The host enjoyed possession from there on but could not stop the visitors from attacking with Basweti unleashing a shot that forced keeper Onyango to spill and Okoth arrived to tap the ball home beyond the keeper’s despairing dive.
Mururi made double substitution introducing Karani for Hamisi Mwinyi and Tony Opondo for Nyanzi as he chased the leveller in the second half.
The two changed the tempo with Karani coming close on several occasions but could not find the back of the net.
The former Mathare United forward had an open chance in the 53rd but headed wide from an Innocent Wafula’s free-kick as Smith Ouko missed in the dying minutes as City Stars held on for welcome victory.