Posta compound Mathare United’s relegation woes

NAIROBI, Kenya, June 26 – Mathare United’s hopes of a push off the bottom of the BetKing Premier League standings suffered a blow after losing 2-1 at the hands of Posta Rangers at the Ruaraka Complex on Saturday afternoon.

Despite Norman Ogolla’s second half freekick, goals from Jackson Dwang and an Austine Ochieng own goal compounded Mathare’s woes.

The Slum Boys had come into the fixture off a good performance in midweek where they beat AFC Leopards for their second win of the season, but they could not complete consecutive victories with a loss against the mailmen.

Mathare’s confidence was punctured early on in the game when Dwang broke the deadlock with an easy tap-in after keeper Job Ochieng had punched Francis Nambute’s cross right into his path.

In the 16^th minute, the mailmen should have been two up when they were awarded a penalty after Nambute was axed inside the box by Khalid Jumaan. However, Dwang’s resultant penalty was wild and wide.

The game was a midfield battle, but it was Posta who were more direct in their approach. In the 32^nd minute they came close when Joshua Nyatini tried his effort with a long range shot, but it flew over.

Posta were 2-0 up however in the 38^th minute when Austine Ochieng who had come on as a substitute scored into his own net after Ochieng’s save off a Dwang tap bounced into his path.

AT the stroke of halftime, Mathare should have found one back when Tyson Otieno did well to beat Simon Mbugua on the left before tapping on a low cross, but Eugene Wethuli’s flick at the near post was wide.

In the second half, Mathare came back with vigour to get back into the game and they halved the deficit just four minutes after the restart when Norman Ogolla’s freekick from the right took an awkward bounce infront of the keeper.

The goal injected some fight into Mathare with coach Frank Ouna making attacking changes, Cersidy Okeyo and James Kinyanjui coming on for Jumaan and Tyson. Chris Oduor and Danson Kago were also brought in for Alphonce Ndonye and Daniel Otieno.

Mathare camped in Posta’s half, but once again, like has been in most of their games, couldn’t find means to get the ball into the net.

Eugene Wethuli had a chance to grab a point at the death, but his finish unmarked inside the box was timid and straight to the keeper.