Police gun down KCB, Gor add more pain to bottom-placed Nzoia in league ties

Kenya Police’s unbeaten run under coach Salim Babu continued on Saturday after the law enforcers gunned down KCB 1-0 in a Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKF-PL) match at Police Sacco Stadium.

The slim win, courtesy of Duncan Otieno’s first-half strike, saw Police leapfrog Tusker into second place on the league table with 45 points.

Title favourites Gor Mahia increased their points tally at the top to 54 after they hammered bottom-placed Nzoia Sugar 3-1 at Sudi Stadium in Bungoma.

In other FKF-PL matches held on Saturday, Bandari remained third with 44 points following their 1-1 draw against Bidco United at Mombasa Sports Club while Nairobi City Stars hammered newcomers Murang’a Seal 3-0 earlier at Police Sacco Stadium.

Kakamega Homeboyz battled to a 1-1 draw with Kariobangi Sharks at Mumias Sports Complex, a similar scoreline was registered by former league champions Sofapaka and Ulinzi Stars at Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos.

Under Babu, Police are still unbeaten this year. They have not lost in 11 matches that Babu has been in charge of; winning eight times and drawing three times.

The club parted ways with former coach Zdravko Logarusic in December last year. Babu had earlier told journalists that they plan to extend their good run until their last match of the season.

Though slim, the win over KCB was a sweet one for the law enforcers since it was the first time that they defeated the bankers since September 2021 when they were promoted to the top-flight league.

Before their clash on Saturday, the two sides had met five times with KCB winning three times.

Tops scorer Benson Omala, new signing Shariff Musa and Bryson Wangai were on target for Gor against Nzoia.

Heading into the match, the defending champions had defeated the Millers just once (1-0 in November 2022) in seven meetings.

Nzoia had won twice (2-1 and 2-0 in 2021) while the other four meetings ended in draws.

Ahead of the match, McKinstry said that they would be on a revenge mission after Nzoia forced them to rally from two goals down to secure a 2-2 draw in the first-leg encounter. K’Ogalo suffered a scare on their path to the big win after Ian Simiyu fired the hosts ahead with a 26th-minute penalty. Nzoia coached by former Kenya international Mike Muiruri are last with 17 points. They have now lost 17 times, won four times and drawn five times.

Japanese international Yuto Kusaba was elated to open his account with City Stars in their big win over Seal, who were reduced to 10 men after Ali Yusuf was sent off. Kubasa, who joined City Stars in February, scored from the spot three minutes from time.

Before that late strike, the Simaba wa Nairobi were in the driving seat courtesy of Mohammed Bajaber and Denis Oalo goals in 54 and 57 minutes respectively. City Stars who are fifth with 42 points headed into the match on the back of two draws and two losses.

Seal who hammered Nzoia 4-0 last weekend are 11 with 34 points.

Saturday’s results

Nzoia Sugar 1 Gor Mahia 3

Bandari 1 Bidco United 1

Sofapaka 1 Ulinzi Stars 1

Kakamega Homeboyz 1 Kariobangi Sharks 1

Nairobi City Stars 3 Murang’a Seal 1

KCB 0 Kenya Police 1

Sunday’s matches

Tusker v FC Talanta Kenyatta Stadium, 1pm

Posta Rangers v AFC Leopards Kenyatta Stadium 4pm

Playing on Monday

Muhoroni Youth v Shabana Jomo Kenyatta International Stadium in Kisumu, 3pm