MACHAKOS, Kenya, Apr 18 – Paul Were marked his first start for AFC Leopards since his return to the den with an assist as Ingwe beat Posta Rangers 3-1 at the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos on Thursday afternoon to move 10th in the Kenyan Premier League standings.
Were returned to Ingwe on a short term deal and showed flashes of his old self with some good movement on either wing, laying up Isuza’s goal two minutes from the restart.
AFC had to come from a goal down after Ken Nambute’s early opener before Brian Marita’s deflected shot took Ingwe level and skipper Robinson Kamura giving them a 2-1 lead at half time.
Posta, who just like last season are fighting off the scare of relegation got themselves a good start, Nambute making the most of a defensive blip to put his side ahead after just four minutes.
But that lead was shortlived as Marita drew parity five minutes later when Marita’s shot from inside the box was deflected after keeper Martin Lule had punched Kamura’s freekick into his path.
From then on AFC looked formidable and some good team play involving one-two change of passes between Isuza, Isaac Kipyegon and Were saw the latter break off on the left and float in a cross that Isuza headed against the keeper’s midrib.
AFC kept the lion’s share of possession and had another chance when the shaky Lule in the Posta goal gifted Marita with the ball with another poorly punched cross, but lucky for him the winger took too long with the ball allowing the defense to track back and block his effort.
AFC however went 2-1 up five minutes to the break, thanks to another poor goalkeeping play by Lule. Kamura curled in a seemingly harmless freekick from the left but Lule in an attempt to parry it away saw it slip under his arms, against the post and into the net.
At the stroke of halftime, Kamura tested the keeper with another freekick from a tight angle, but this time, Lule managed to fist the ball away for a corner at his near post.
The home side however made it 3-1 two minutes after the restart when Isuza scored his fourth goal in as many matches with an easy tap in from a yard out after Lule missed his dive to punch away Were’s freekick from the left.
The sensational winger was then rested for another new signing Boniface Mukhekhe.
With the scorching afternoon sun sweltering its way across the stadium, the intensity lowered but Posta tried to come back into contention.
Head coach John Kamau brought in Brian Osumba and Georson Likono to try and spice up things in attack, but they couldn’t get it right in the final third.