Tusker down Western Stima to reclaim top spot
Tusker's Henry Meja (centre) celebrates his goal against Westerm Stima with teammates during their Football Kenya Federation Premier League match at Ruaraka grounds on June 23, 2021.
What you need to know:
- The evenly contested clash became more explosive after the half-hour mark with Stima wasting a glorious chance on 35 muntes when Rodgers Ouma squared the ball to Michael Karamor, but the latter failed to beat Tusker's goalkeeper Michael Wanjala from a one-on-one situation.
- Eric Zakayo then planted over the visitor's crossbar his powerful shot from outside the box, before Chrispinus Onyango side-netted from the right one minute to the break. Oketch's powerful free-kick was saved by Wanjala the other end.
Tusker on Wednesday returned to the summit of the 2020/21 Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKF-PL) after a 2-1 win over troubled Western Stima at Ruaraka grounds in Nairobi.
Henry Meja sealed the brewers' 13th victory of the season from the spot on 63 minutes after Boniface Muchiri gave the hosts the breakthrough 10 minutes earlier.
Baron Oketch pulled one back for the Kisumu-based side also from another penalty on 78 minutes.
The result saw Tusker go top of the standing on 44 points, two above KCB who have a match in hand. Stima remain16th on 13 points.
"We expected the match to be tough, but our focus was to get all the three points. We have managed to do that so and we are very happy. I am glad Muchiri turned the game in our favour. He has been practising a lot of free-kicks and it was good to see him score," said Tusker coach Robert Matano.
Tusker coach Robert Matano reacts on the touchline during their Football Kenya Federation Premier League match against Western Stima at Ruaraka grounds on June 23, 2021.
Stima's tactician Abdalla Juma blamed his side's loss on missed chances and goalkeeper Stephen Otieno's injury.
"The boys played to instruction. In football, luck also matters and for us, we failed to use our chances. Changing a goalkeeper in a match is always not good, because the new keeper is not always focused as the one who started the match," he said.
The evenly contested clash became more explosive after the half-hour mark with Stima wasting a glorious chance on 35 muntes when Rodgers Ouma squared the ball to Michael Karamor, but the latter failed to beat Tusker's goalkeeper Michael Wanjala from a one-on-one situation.
Eric Zakayo then planted over the visitor's crossbar his powerful shot from outside the box, before Chrispinus Onyango side-netted from the right one minute to the break. Oketch's powerful free-kick was saved by Wanjala the other end.
Muchiri punished Aimoi for poor positioning in his area, as he looped his free-kick over the wall to the unguarded left side of the goalpost in the 53rd minute.
Tusker's Boniface Muchiri shoots to score from a free-kick against Western Stima during their Football Kenya Federation Premier League match at Ruaraka grounds on June 23, 2021.
The goal set the brewers on course to completing a double over the Kisumu-based side, having won the first leg 5-2. Meja doubled Tusker's lead on 63 minutes from the spot after Muchiri was fouled inside the box.
The goal was Meja's ninth of the season, leaving him five behind leader Eric Kapaito of Kariobangi Sharks in the Golden Boot race.
Western Stima's Baron Oketch (left) vies for the ball with Tusker's Apollo Otieno (right) during their Football Kenya Federation Premier League match at Ruaraka grounds on June 23, 2021.
Seven minutes later, Karamor should have reduced the deficit for Stima, but his goal bound shot was deflected for a fruitless corner-kick.
Oketch then forced Wanjala to a fingertip save from a well worked out free-kick from the left.
The Kisumu-based side's hardwork paid off in the 78th minute, as Okech made no mistake in sending goalkeeper Wanjala the wrong side from the spot after James Odhiambo was fouled inside the box.
