FKF-PL: Homeboyz revive title hopes, Tusker draw

Kakamega Homeboyz Sunday went joint top with Tusker following their 2-1 win over KCB at Bukhungu Stadium in Kakamega in their Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKF-PL) table.

Tusker missed the chance to maintain their two-point lead after playing out a barren draw against Nairobi City Stars at Ruaraka grounds in another match on Sunday.

Tusker and Homeboyz are tied at the top of the standing on 56 points, but the brewers top on goal difference.

At Sudi Stadium in Bungoma, Wazito revived their chances of surviving relegation after beating Nzoia by a solitary goal.

At Bukhungu Stadium, Yema Mwana bagged his ninth goal of the season after netting a screamer in the 16th minute.

However, the bankers restored parity through Henry Onyango towards the end of the first half.

Nigerian forward Michael Karamor then netted the winner in the 81st minute to end Homeboyz's five-match winless steak.

In Bungoma, Amos Asembeka's lone strike at the half hour mark was enough to seal maximum points for Wazito, ending coach Fred Ambani's 10 match winless streak.

City Stars are fifth on 46 points from 29 matches, while KCB are seventh on 41 points from 30 matches.

The win over Nzoia Sugar took Wazito's point tally to 25 points and they are 16th, with the former 15th on 27 points.

At Ruaraka, Tusker were the better side for the first quarter of the game, but Tanzanian Ibrahim Joshua and midfielder Shami Kibwana missed chances to give their side the lead.

The brewers had a brilliant counter attack in the 10th minute after Stewart Omondi unleashed a cross from the left wing to Shaphan Oyugi, who teed up Kibwana, but his shot flew inches over the bar.

Nairobi City Stars had a sniff at goal in the 25th minute, but Tusker's goalkeeper Patrick Matasi had to come out of his line to save Sven Yida's shot.

City Stars striker Nicholas Kipkirui had a good chance to put his side ahead two minutes to the breather after unleashing a ferocious shot that forced Matasi to stretch and make a spectacular save to keep Tusker in the game.

Tusker coach Robert Matano made a double change at the start of  the second half, Kibwana and John Njuguna paving way for Erick Zakayo and Shaphan Oyugi.

The changes breathed life into the brewers' midfield, which had been outclassed by City Stars.

Midfielders Stewart Omondi and Rodgers Ouma then combined well to pick out Joshua, but the forward blasted the ball wide in the 62nd minute.

Ugandan import Deogratious Ojok, who came on for Stewart Omondi in the 67th minute, almost won it for Tusker, but his low powerful shot missed the target by a whisker.

Tusker coach Robert Matano said they will fight to win their remaining three matches and that their focus is not on the results posted by their opponents.

"The three matches are like finals to us because we need to win as the title race is still open. Our focus is winning and not the results posted by our opponents. Today's game was balanced and both teams played cautiously. This is football and sometimes you win, sometimes you draw and sometimes you lose," said Matano.

His opposite number Nicholas Muyoti however said his attackers wasted big chances which came their way in the first half.

"It was a game where both sides struggled to score and the ball concentration was in the midfield. However, we would have been ahead in the first half had we not squandered the two or three chances we got," said Muyoti.