NAIROBI, Kenya, March 29 – Two first-half goals from Jesse Were was all that Tusker FC needed to beat Nairobi City Stars 2-1 in a Kenyan Premier League match played at Nairobi’s Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday.
Were gave the Brewers an early lead in the third minute after capitalizing on City Stars defensive lapse before completing his brace from the spot in the 36th.
Substitute Joseph Sakwa scored the consolation for the Kawangware based side who are yet to register a win.
In the early kick-off, David Ojuang was on target to help visiting Chemelil Sugar overcome KCB 1-0 whist at the Awendo’s Green Stadium, Sony Sugar defeated Ushuru FC by the same margin with Samuel Onyango scoring the winner.
Tusker’s win saw head coach Francis Kimanzi who maintained his winning squad against Ulinzi Stars, pick his second successive win and ascend to fifth on the log on seven points.
“It seemed to be easier in the first-half because we had very little challenge from the opponent so it was not easy for us to keep the tempo up, but in the second-half they pushed more and gave us urgency to score. We are happy we have another win so we are coming back slowly,” Kimanzi stated after the win.
On the other hand, City Stars head coach, Paul Nkata conceded defeat but warned they will be a hard nut to crack in the coming matches.
“We started poorly and concede an early goal that demoralized our boys but after settling in the second-half, we pulled up and nearly equalized. We will to be a difficult side to beat in the coming matches.”
Arthur Museve gifted the Brewers an early lead when the defender deflected Kevin Kimani’s through pass that found Were in front of goal and made no mistake to punish the hosts from a close range tap in.
Tusker could have doubled the lead seven minutes later when Biran Osumba played a one-two with former Gor Mahia forward, Patrick Oboya but the latter went for glory as Were was in the goal mouth waiting to tap in.
Kimani forced Odhiambo to parry his long range cracker at the half hour mark but could not stop Were’s second goal five minutes later, when the captain was fouled in the box by Samuel Wailer to see referee Amos Ichingwa award Tusker the penalty that was well converted by the 2013 Golden Boot runners-up.
The brewers came close through Osumba who headed Kimani’s swinger inches wide before City Stars skipper Oscar Mbugua was booked for assimilation when he claimed a penalty from Humphrey Mieno’s tackle on the stroke of half-time.
City Stars upped their game on resumption with Nkata introducing Sakwa for Wailer and the changes were felt immediately when the latter pulled one back from a long range thunderous shot that was deflected by Tusker defender to beat keeper Faruk Shikhalo.
Sakwa was at it again in the 84th but this time Shikhalo denied him a brace that could have seen City Stars salvage a point.
