Western Stima striker Baron Oketch shields the ball under pressure from Tusker FC defender Eric Ambunya during a Kenyan Premier League match at the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos on March 3, 2019. PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu
MACHAKOS, Kenya, Apr 3 – Samuel Odhiambo scored against his former employers slotting home a 73rd minute penalty as Western Stima came from a goal down to draw 1-1 with Tusker FC in a Kenyan Premier League clash at the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos on Wednesday afternoon.
Boniface Muchiri had broken the deadlock for the brewers in the 56th minute before Odhiambo stepped up from the penalty spot to restore parity.
The game had few chances, with both sides lacking the creativity in the final third. Stima had the first chance of the game in the 14th minute when Baron Oketch’s sweeping cross from the left was missed by Wesley Kemboi inside the box with Erastus Mburu landing it at the back post but his shot was over.
Stima came close five minutes later when Junior Mukisa’s well weighted shot from 20 yards off an Oketch cross came off the upright after evading keeper Emery Mvuyekure’s reach.
Stima kept Tusker on the back foot and were threatening especially with Luke Ochieng’s long throws, but they were kept out by Mvuyekure who read all of them well.
Tusker struggled to create chances and Odhiambo was left without much to do on the other side.
The visitors had another chance three minutes to time when James Ogada’s improvised backheel off a Mburu corner was saved by a fully stretched Mvuyekure.
Western Stima striker Wesley Kemboi shields the ball under pressure from Tusker FC defender Brian Odhiambo during a Kenyan Premier League match at the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos on March 3, 2019. PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu
At the start of the second half, Tusker boss Robert Matano rang the changes, Timothy Otieno and Paul Kamau both coming off after picking up injuries in the first half and in their places, the tactician handed debuts to new signings David Majak and Tom Adwar.
The brewers were more creative and nine minutes in, they should have been one up when Jackson Macharia flicked Sidney Ochieng through, but the midfielder saw his shot saved by Odhiambo who threw his body nicely on the ground.
But, Tusker were 1-0 up two minutes later when Muchiri broke the offside trap after Eric Ambunya floated the ball into the box, taking a low shot that slithered through the legs of keeper Odhiambo.
Just after conceding Stima’s day worsened when influential defender Ochieng had to go out after picking a knee injury and his place was taken by David Ojwang.
Stima kept the push dumping balls into the Tusker box. They had a decent chance in the 70th minute when they won a freekick in a good scoring range, but Mukisa curled the effort over. Three minutes later though, they were level.
Laban Gambareko who had spent less than a minute on the pitch was brought down inside the box by Brian Odhiambo. Keeper Odhiambo, a former Tusker player, step up and sent his opposite number thr wrong way to draw parity.
Tusker should have grabbed the lead back in the 80th minute when Macharia cited keeper Odhiambo off his line, but his lob came off the underside of the bar.
