Posta Rangers shock league leaders Tusker

Posta Rangers on Tuesday put up a spirited fight to stun leaders Tusker 1-0 in their Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKF-PL) match at Ruaraka grounds in Nairobi. 

Substitute Josephat Lopanga struck on 80 minutes to deny the 11-time champions the opportunity to go five points clear at the top of the 17-team league.

Tusker, who have now played 19 matches, remain at the summit on 38 points. The win is Posta's first in their last four matches and they are in 13th place on 21 points.

"This loss is slowing down the progress of the team but nothing is permanent. We still have some three matches and we are going to fight," said Tusker coach Robert Matano.

His Posta counterpart, Stanley Okumbi said: "It was a fair share because in the first leg, they beat us (4-1) in what was my first match with the team. I am happy the players have played according to instructions." 

With Tusker fighting to remain at the top until June 30 to qualify for next season's Caf Champions League, they pressed high from the start and on six minutes, Boniface Muchiri met a long pass from the left to test Posta's goalkeeper Kelvin Opiyo from close range. 

Teenager Henry Meja then turned well to force Opiyo to another decent save from close range.

The mailmen, who went down 4-1 in the first leg of the encounter, survived again on 27 minutes after Rodgers Aloro's powerful free-kick smashed the top left corner of the goal post.

Posta's first real chance of the match arrived on 30 minutes as Gerishon Likono controlled well a long cross from the left, before blazing wide his left-footed shot. 

Evans Maliachi then forced his poweful free-kick shot between Tusker's wall, but goalkeeper Michael Wanjala was alert. 

Brewers' skipper Hashim Sempala also missed the target from free-kick the other end minutes later.

Tusker continued to dominate the in the second half and Brian Marita's close range shot flew narrowly high, before Meja's effort was blocked by Posta's backline. 

Tusker then made three changes as Eric Zakayo, Jackson Macharia and Apollo Otieno replaced Sempala, Faraj Odenyi and Brian Marita respectively.

Humphrey Mieno was not lucky on 65 minutes after keeper Opiyo stretched well to the right to block his close range shot.

Posta introduced Josephat Lopanga and Francis Nambite for Likono and Amos Kigadi respectively. 

Ten minites to time, Lopanga outpaced his marker on the right and beat goalkeeper Wanjala with a powerful low shot to the bottom left coner. Meja would have equalised moments later, but his header was easily saved by Opiyo.