Posta Rangers skipper Jockins Atudo vies for the ball with Mathare United’s David Mwangi. PHOTO/TIMOTHY OLOBULU
NAIROBI Kenya, Sep 25- Mathare United Football Club and Posta Rangers F.C. played to a barren draw in a Kenyan Premier League played at the Nyayo Stadium on Sunday.
From the result, the two sides interchanged positions on the Kenyan Premier League log, with Posta Rangers moving seventh on 37 points.
But in the darkness of the draw, a shining light would be the performance of defender Andrew Juma who was making his first appearance of the season, stepping in for the absent Robinson Kamura and the youngster did put in a shift that might guarantee him more starts.
Posta had a quick start off the blocks and striker Timothy Otieno should have done better with a first minute opportunity that came his way.
The forward found space inside the box with the Mathare backline caught flat footed, but keeper Robert Mboya stick a foot out to block the shot.
Otieno had another effort in the eighth minute when he slid in to pick out a well weighted Cavin Otieno low cross but again Mboya produced an equally good save to keep his side in the match.
The hosts had their first opportunity in the 14th minute but it came to nothing. Edwin Mwaura broke through on the right, floated in a decent low cross which keeper Patrick Matasi spilled but Derrick Onyango was not quick enough to pounce on the ball, the Posta back line clearing.
The game was a contest in midfield, both sides trying to outwit each other in possession. Pitting two coaches – Francis Kimanzi and Zedekiah Otieno – both from the same school of thought, it was always deemed to be a tough tactical battle.
Mathare had two efforts on target in the opening 45, both easy picks for Matasi.
Chris Onyango had a shot from the edge of the box after Derrick Onyango chested the ball down for him, while Eric Johannah who had been handed a free-roving role in the forward line had a freekick go straight into Matasi’s arms.
In the second half, Posta’s Zedekiah Otieno began by pulling off John Nairuka for the speedy Georson Likonoh, and the introduction of the former Chemelil Sugar man added some pace in the Posta forward line.
Likonoh forced Mboya into a good save after tipping away his freekick and from the resultant corner, Atudo picked up the long ball at the far post, crossed back into the area and Odongo once again met with a header but the ball was tipped over for a corner.
Likonoh would try his luck again with a shot from distance after a short start to a corner from Titus Achesa but the ball went just over.
On the other end, Johannah tried his luck with another freekick, but Matasi proved equal to the task with an easy catch.
