NSL: Top three victorious in mid-week matches
FC Talanta's Nicodemus Malika (right) leaves Silibwet Leon's Brian Ochieng for dead during their National Super League match at Ruaraka on January 20, 2021.
What you need to know:
- The visitors had another chance to change the score line moments later, but Clement Owino was not clinical with his free-kick delivery from the edge of the box on the right, after Brian Ochieng was fouled.
- At Kisumu's Moi Stadium, Kisumu All Stars coach Salim Babu had the last laugh in the lakeside derby pitting the former Kenya Premier League side and Kisumu Hot Stars as Seth Oyugi's second half goal settled the contest.
The 2020/21 National Super League ( NSL) heated up on Wednesday with all the top three teams winning their respective matches to remain tied on 13 points.
Interestingly, all the three teams have now won four times, drawn and lost once in six matches played.
FC Talanta beat newcomers Silibwet 2-0 at Ruaraka grounds in Nairobi, while Coast Stima thumped Nairobi Stima 3-1 at Mbaraki Stadium in Mombasa.
Fortune Sacco beat Murang'a Seals 1-0 at Kirinyaga grounds in Kerugoya.
Substitute Andrew Murunga scored Talanta's two goals in a match that Silibwet should have won as they were the better side. Murunga, who was introduced in the second half, scored in the 85th and 90th minutes.
Talanta's assistant coach Jackson Gatheru heaped praise on the attacker.
“He (Murunga) is a good finisher and that is why we brought him in when the goals were not coming. It was a difficult match because after the 20th minute, they (Silibwet) were in control," he said.
His opposite number, Patrick Amuoka said: "We lost because of lack of concentration in the dying minutes of the match. I think the players are also losing morale which is not good."
Both sides threatened in the first minute of the action, Silibwet's Simon Karanja missing from close range, before his goalkeeper Bonface Baraza cleared a danger from Paul Odhiambo.
Goalkeeper Baraza denied hosts Talanta again in the 9th minute when he tipped over Odhiambo's shot for a fruitless corner-kick.
The two teams continued to miss from open chances and in the 37th minute, Silibwet's captain Michael Kahagi thought he had given his side the breakthrough, but his goal from a rebound was cancelled for offside.
Silibwet continued from where they left in the first-half - dictating the exchange, and in the 50th minute, Karanja's dangerous shot from inside the box after connecting to Coulibay Mohammed's header was blocked by Talanta's defence, before the latter's drive 10 minutes later was cleared for another fruitless corner-kick.
The visitors had another chance to change the score line moments later, but Clement Owino was not clinical with his free-kick delivery from the edge of the box on the right, after Brian Ochieng was fouled.
At Kisumu's Moi Stadium, Kisumu All Stars coach Salim Babu had the last laugh in the lakeside derby pitting the former Kenya Premier League side and Kisumu Hot Stars as
Seth Oyugi's second half goal settled the contest.
Results
FC Talanta 2 Silibwet 0
Fortune Sacco 1 Muranga Seal 0
Vihiga Bullets 1 MCF FC 1
Migori Youth 2:1 Kibera Black Stars
Mt Kenya United 1 Soy United 1
Modern Coast Rangers 2 Shabana 2
APS Bomet 2 Sony Sugar 5
Mwatate United 1 Kenya Police 2
Kisumu All Stars 1 Chemeli Sugar FC 0
Coast Stima 3 Nairobi Stima 1
