NAIROBI, May 2- The Gor Mahia steamroller in the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) forced Ulinzi Stars to surrender in a 2-0 victory at their Nairobi City Stadium citadel on Saturday to sustaining their unbeaten start to the season.
Elsewhere, former champions Tusker propelled themselves to second behind champions K’Ogalo on the log after dismissing the hapless Nakuru All Stars 3-1 as Western Stima edged out visiting Bandari 1-0 in Kisumu to round the day’s top flight action.
Ulinzi, the 2010 titleholders were the latest side to try ending Gor’s unbeaten start to the season when they checked into the partisan and parked City in the highlight fixture but despite putting up a fight, they were disarmed 2-0 by the unshakable champions.
Rwandese international Meddie Kagere and in-form Michael Olunga once again found the net as Gor moved to 23 points from nine outings on top of the standings.
Scottish head coach, Frank Nutall named an unchanged side to the one that taxed Ushuru FC 3-1 last weekend as Benjamin Sande came on for seasoned Stephen Ocholla in Robert Matano’s only tweak on the military men’s side.
– Oluoch scare-
The vociferous home fans had hearts in their mouths when their keeper, Boniface Oluoch contrived to give Ulinzi the lead when Oscar Wamalwa stole the ball from him only for the custodian to redeem himself by saving the resultant finish with his feet mid first half.
They were up on their feet shortly before half time when Olunga forced James Saruni in the soldier’s goal to spill the ball from a poor Anthony Muriithi back pass and Kagere gleefully accepted the gift to fire his side in front with his sixth goal of the nascent campaignwhen he swept the ball to a yawning net.
Ulinzi returned from the break determined to seek the leveller and pinned Gor back but were made to pay in the 76th minute when Olunga sealed maximum points when he converted a Nizigiyimana low cross to spark rousing celebrations on the stands for his fifth of the season.
At Nakuru’s Afraha Stadium, home team All Stars were once again dimmed by the potent brew concocted by Francis Kimanzi’s side who are shifting the gears after a lacklustre start to the campaign.
Captain Jesse Were notched a brace with Clifford Alwanga scoring the other as the Brewers moved to 18 points from ten matches.
Tusker took the lead when Abud Omar robbed Lawrence Juma and set up his skipper to unload a left-footer that went in off the post on 34 minutes before Alwanga made it 2-0 four minutes later when he beat the exposed Wycliffe Bukaya in the All Stars goal before stroking it to an unguarded net.
The hosts gave themselves hope of salvaging the match ten minutes after half time when Boniface Akenga pulled one back but Were was on target again when he converted a penalty for hand ball in the box.
Fredrick Shimonyo was the hero for Stima when he successfully fired in a 66th minute spot-kick to give Western Stima maximum points against the dockers in Kisumu.
