Mathare United players line up for a freekick before a previous Kenyan Premier League match. PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu
NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 17 – Clifford Alwanga’s brace saw Mathare United bounce back to winning ways and recover from back to back losses with a 3-2 win over Nzoia Sugar at the Moi Sports Centre Kasarani on Wednesday evening.
Mathare scored all their three goals in similar fashion, their wing play being too much for Nzoia to contain. The victory now sees the Slum Boys move to fourth in the standings pending Kakamega Homeboyz and Tusker FC results.
Meanwhile, Bandari FC temporarily moved top of the standings after a 2-1 win over visiting KCB in Mombasa saw them attain 45 points, one ahead of second placed Gor Mahia and Sofapaka respectively who play on Thursday and Friday.
Yema Mwana scored a goal in either half to continue Bandari’s resurgence this month, three points that scaled them to 45 on the standings.
Bandari’s Yema Mwana in action during their Kenyan premier League match against KCB on April 17, 2019. PHOTO/Bandari FC
Ezekiel Odera converted a 90th minute penalty for the bankers, but it was only consolation as the dockers had already sealed the tie for a third consecutive win.
Elsewhere, relegation fighting Mount Kenya United and Zoo Kericho picked up vital wins that sees them revive their hopes of survival.
Mount Kenya beat Chemelil Sugar 4-3 at the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos while Zoo Kericho won 1-0 against Vihiga United in Kericho. Zoo moved to 20 points, only separated from Vihiga by goal difference while Mount kenya moved to 15 points, five off safety.
Elsewhere, Ulinzi Stars beat Western Stima 1-0 to climb to eighth in the standings.
At the Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi, Cliff Nyakeya provided a brace of assists with Kevin Kimani and Alwanga scoring either side of Vincent Ngesa’s goal to give Francis Kimanzi’s men a 2-1 lead at halftime.
Alwanga then sealed the tie in the second half with a diving header as Mathare felt relieved following back to back losses.
Mathare United’s Andrew Juma tries to block Nzoia Sugar’s Patrick Otieno during their Kenyan premier League match at the Kasarani Stadium on April 17, 2019. PHOTO/Mathare United
Hansel Ochieng scored with three minutes left to leave for a nervous end, but Mathare held on for the three points.
In an exciting game, scores were already 2-1 in favor of Mathare after quarter of an hour.
Kimani broke the deadlock after three minutes, his shot from the edge of the box earning a wicked deflection to take it off the keeper’s path. Nyakeya had made a good run on the right before cutting back and the ball landing on an unmarked Kimani.
Nzoia drew parity in the 11th minute through Ngesa who had the simplest of tasks tapping the ball home after Geoffrey Wandera had nodded back a set piece delivered to the back post.
But, Mathare got their lead back four minutes later when Alwanga scrambled the ball home at the near post in almost replicate fashion like they had scored the first.
Nyakeya made another daunting run on the right before slicing a low cross to the near post which Alwanga scrambled home despite a block from Ngesa.
Mathare United’s James Situma tries to block Nzoia Sugar’s Collins Wakhungu during their Kenyan premier League match at the Kasarani Stadium on April 17, 2019. PHOTO/Mathare United
The slum boys were destroying Nzoia with their intelligent wing play and three minutes after their goal, they almost made it three this time from the left, James Kinyanjui cutting back for David ‘Messi’ Owino whose well struck shot was turned behind for a corner by the keeper.
Nzoia were playing their usual counter attacking football but were limited in chances. They had one off a set piece on the half hour mark when Thomas Wainaina swung a freekick to Jackson Dwang’s way, but the midfielder’s sweet connection on a volley was well collected by Mathare keeper Allan Owiny.
Three minutes to the break, Mathare had a chance off a set piece with Kimani delivering a corner that Andrew Juma headed over from close range.
Kimanzi’s men kept their surge in the second half and regained their two goal cushion in the 65th minute when Alwanga dived in to head a well delivered cross from left back Owino.
Four minutes later, some good movement on the left saw Owino put Alwanga through with the brace scorer squaring it back for Nyakeya whose shot was blocked.
