NAIROBI, May 10- Champions Gor Mahia and Western Stima fired blanks in a timid draw at Moi Stadium, Kisumu on Sunday as veteran midfielder, Charles Okwemba’s double fired Ushuru FC to a 2-0 win over hapless Nakuru All Stars in the only scoring Kenyan Premier League clash of the weekend.
Despite stretching their unbeaten start to the season to ten, K’Ogalo missed the chance to stretch their lead at the summit further after being kept at bay by the well drilled Henry Omino side as the Green Army descended on the lakeside city to support their side in their spiritual home.
Having beaten bitter Nyanza rivals Sony Sugar 1-0 midweek, Gor vaunted attacking force was particularly blunt with the absent Michael Olunga, who fired a hat-trick in Harambee Stars Under-23 ultimately fruitless 4-1 rout of Botswana on Saturday felt.
There was nothing much to write home about the first half as the sides went in goalless with the champions upping the ante after the break as Stima retreated deeper to park the proverbial bus.
Rwandese international, Meddie Kagere who is first becoming a crowd darling, fired goal-wards from close range in the 72th minute but his shot was snuffed out by Gabriel Andika in the Stima goal as pulses raised in the stands.
Scottish head coach, Frank Nutall then hauled on Ronald Omino, the son of Stima boss Henry as he sought family inspiration to unlock the stubborn home side and the gamble almost paid off when the substitute just failed to connect a pass into the box.
Gor were almost given a sucker punch two minutes from time when Stima sprung forward on the counter only for Ronald Okoth to fire the finish wide before George ‘Blackberry’ Odhiambo spurned the chance to grab all the headlines when he floated his free-kick up and over.
– Okwemba soars-
Former AFC Leopards captain, Charles Okwemba notched the double as Ushuru piled more misery on Nakuru All Stars at Safaricom Stadium, Kasarani.
The veteran put the taxmen ahead directly from a free kick in the second minute before he repeated the same trick deep into ten minutes of added time to round the victory in the only scoring game in the KPL on Sunday.
Sony and KCB also shot blanks in Awendo in the other result in a low scoring weekend that started with the barren stalemate between Muhoroni Youth and City Stars.