Leopards tumble as Tusker bottle points
AFC Leopards succumbed to a 1-0 loss to Tusker in a dull Kenyan Premier League match at the Nyayo National Stadium on Saturday.
In Awendo, Sony Sugar thumped Chemelil 3-1.
Kevin Kimani accounted for the solitary goal, which now sees Tusker rise to third in the league table with 15 points.
The drizzly Nairobi weather ensured a rather slow start for both teams, but it was Ingwe that had the more opportunities through Jacob Keli and Emmanuel Ngama.
The duo tested rookie goalkeeper Farouk Shikalo in quick succession in the opening ten minutes of the match, but the slippery grounds made it difficult for them to hit the target.
LOVELY FREE KICK
In the 21st minute, winger Kevin Kimani guided a lovely free kick to tear through the poorly arranged Leopards wall, soaring beneath Joel Bataro’s arms and into the net to condemn Leopards to their second successive defeat.
The second half continued in the same slow pace, but it was the brewers who showed keener intent to score through Kimani, whose work rate for the day was thoroughly impressive.
Leopards were in real danger of conceding a second goal in the 63rd minute when Kimani released another free kick from the outside the box, but Bataro was more alert this time and punched it out for a corner which proved futile.
Second half substitute Khalid Jumaan almost leveled scores for Ingwe in the 85th minute with a clever flicking of the ball from just outside the box, but unfortunately he placed it out off target.
Coach Francis Kimanzi lauded his charges for the three points, although he said that they deserved more from the match.
“In every match, the aim is to get three points and I am happy with the results. However, I feel like we deserved more from the match considering the number of chances we created,” he said.
In the other match, Andrew Sekayombwa put Sony on the driving seat in the 10th minute but Daniel Mutahi levelled for Chemelil with 18 minutes to go. Sony won the first corner in the second minute that Meshack Muyonga drilled wide.
BREAK DEADLOCK
Later, Sekayombwa partnered with Angelo Okumu upfront on a counter with the former tapping from close range to break the deadlock.
In the second half, Chemelil coach Mike Mururi opted for Felix Tindi for Hamisi Mwinyi with the changes paying off after Daniel scored an equaliser in the 72nd minute.
At Muhoroni, Western Stima lost 1-0 to Muhoroni Youth.
Skipper Abass Akinyemi scored deep in the first half to hand Coach Francis Baraza his first win at home this season.
Stima, who hoped to bounce back from last weekend defeat by Tusker, found themselves in unfamiliar grounds after Akinyemi scored from the spot when Stima defender Muhako fouled Masitsa Masuta in the box just before the break.
The match had to be stopped after half an hour, after home fans taunted Stima Chairman Laban Jobita and the bench in the main stand but resumed 20 minutes later.