Goals from Nathan Mutenza, Joseph Emeka, Noah Abich, Fred Ojwang and Augustine Etemesi steered Kenyan Premier League (KPL) champions Tusker to a resounding 5-0 win over Bandari.
The win ensured the brewers, who last won the local league in 2007, returned to the top of the KPL table after Sofapaka had briefly dislodged them on Saturday.
Tusker, resting most of their key players ahead of their tough fixture against Gor Mahia next weekend, dominated the one-sided match yesterday, but Bandari had some flashes of brilliance and could have scored two or three goals.
Tusker’s Mutenza opened the scoring in the fourth minute, tapping in the ball from close range after a goalmouth melee in the match played at Kasarani.
Nigerian striker Joseph Emeka added the second for Tusker 20 minutes later, when he converted Jerry Santos’ cross to give the victors a 2-0 lead at half time.
After the break, Bandari twice went close through Said Amir who failed to beat Tusker’s custodian Boniface Oluoch in a one-on-one situation and Ali Abondo’s powerful shot went inches wide.
Tusker replied through Abich in the 48th minute when Bandari’s goalkeeper Swaleh Abdulrahman embarrassingly deflected an intended long cross into his own net.
At 3-0 up, Tusker passed the ball around and tried different formations as if in a training session. Tusker’s Oluoch thwarted Ali Breik and Zuberi Kombo’s efforts with brilliant saves, before substitute Ojwang notched the fourth goal in the 76th minute. Etemesi sealed the victory with a looped goal that beat an advancing Swaleh in the 87th minute.
Early Kick Off
In an early match, KCB came from behind to force a 1-1 tie against Sher Karuturi in a mouth-watering encounter at the same venue.
KCB custodian Dan Oluoch spilled Ibrahim Hassan’s shot and former international Nicholas Muyoti was quick to pounce and give the visitors a 1-0 lead after 29 minutes.
The bankers piled pressure, but the brilliance of international goalkeeper Noah Ayuko frustrated KCB until substitute Geoffrey Maina found the back of the net in the 82nd minute, scoring with his knee.
Ayuko had earlier seemed to return Jacob Keli’s shot into play but the ball looked to have crossed the goal line.
In Thika, AFC Leopards held the hosts to a barren draw in a match that saw both teams create minimal chances.
The result means that Leopards are still stuck at the bottom of the table after 13 matches.
In Naivasha, Red Berets held league champions Mathare United to a 1-1 draw in an evenly contested tie match at the Oserian Stadium.
The slum boys led by a solitary goal at half time after Chrispin Oduor scored in the 30th minute.
COURTESY OF THE STANDARD
Saturday's action
Sofapaka kept their discipline and ran out telling 1-0 victors over Sony Sugar at Awendo on Saturday.
Bob Mugalia scored in the 85th minute to send Sofapaka to the top of the Kenyan Premier League table -- at least for 24 hours -- and also signal that there are no doubts that the rookie Premiership team are serious title contenders.
Mugalia in previous action for Sofapaka/COURTESY OF THE NATION
The red hot Bob Mugalia carried on his goal scoring form from last week.
But Mugalia was only crowning the work of one of the most potent attacks in the league. His striking partner and leading goal getter for the side, Patrick Kagogo, provided the assist converted in the 76th minute.
Sony fought like wounded lions and Justin Monda, Moses Arita, Sylvester Wanyama and Dennis Onkangi were relentless but Sofapaka were able to breathe a sigh of relief and stage a celebration after scaling quite a mountain.
Said Sofapaka coach Robert Matano: "I pay tribute to the men. Great game and I am happy we bagged the three points which is always difficult away from home and in particular here at Awendo.
"We want to set the pace and possibly open a gap that will give us breathing space. The pressure is still on and I hope the men will maintain this form."
Agro Chemicals 1 Gor Mahia 0
Hussein Puzzo, the 19-year-old striker who is growing in stature at Agro Chemicals scored a useful goal from a Humphrey Alemba assist in the 79th minute for victory which was never expected to come easy.
Unfortunately for Gor Mahia, who had hoped to continue their recent sparkle, Agro Chemicals were also hitting a good patch in the past few weeks and the contest on Saturday at Furaha Academy, Muhoroni became gloriously competitive.
Agro, fielding a largely changed line-up from that which struggled at the start of the season, started off forcefully and dominated Gor Mahia for larger chunks of the game.
The resourceful Alemba initiated the winning run from the left flank then passed to Puzzo to score with a low hard shot that beat the diving Gor 'keeper George Odhiambo.
A delighted Agro coach Henry Omino said: "This competition is still wide open. Any team has a chance for the title and we are one of those you should not rule out just because we have been hovering near the basement of the table.
"We have a whole second leg coming from next month and we shall pull it if off; it will be a total change."
Ulinzi Stars 2 Western Stima 2
Western Stima blew a handsome 2-0 lead at Oserian ground in Naivasha, allowing a great comeback by Ulinzi Stars to snatch a draw.
The Ulinzi soldiers fought their way out the trenches with Vincent Onyango (51st minute) and veteran Harambee Stars defender Hussein Mohammed (85th) creating the escape route.
The evergreen Harambee Stars striker Mark Sirengo (seventh minute) and George Wesa (27th) seemed to have put Western Stima back to the path of winning ways which had raised eyebrows for much of the first quarter of the season when the Kakamega team even headed the table.
But Ulinzi, who are playing comfortably at mid-table had other ideas and pounced.
Nairobi City Stars 0 Chemelil Sugar 1
John Barasa rose to head in John Mwangi's cross to snatch an unexpected victory for Chemelil at Hope Centre against home team Nairobi City Stars.
The third minute ambush charged City Stars who relentlessly tried to reverse the situation but Chemelil were to hold on till the end.
Apart from in the 26th minute when the City Stars escaped by the assistance of the cross bar to keep off Wycliffe Omondi's hot shot, the home team were totally in charge but numerous chances just did not fall in place.
City Stars had the ball past the goal posts and Vincent Okoth seemed to have got the equaliser in the 72nd minute but was ruled marginally offside by referee Richard Obare.
Earlier in the 65th minute ,an Arthur Museve header from Thomas Wanyama's cross went just inches wide while skipper Dennis "Wise" Okoth could not believe his eyes when his goal-bound shot was cleared off the line.
Defensive midfielder Joshua Westerman also saw his dipping header just short and industrious David King'atua's audacious drive from wide was brilliantly kept out by the diving John Wahu in the Chemelil goal
COURTESY OF THE KENYA PREMIER LEAGUE
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