- Tusker had lost two games back to back
- The win lifted them into the top 10
- City Stars suffered their fifth loss of the season
Tusker FC bounced back from a run of two successive defeats in the FKF Premier League when they edged out Nairobi City Stars 3-1 at the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos.
The victory was a massive confidence boost for the brewers after a tough start to the season having lost against Ulinzi Stars last weekend, their fifth in 10 outings and pressure piling on them and head coach Robert Matano.
Mike Oduor put up a man of the match playing a direct role in all the three goals with one assist, a goal and a key pass leading to a goal.
“It is very relieving to get this result because things were getting tough for us. We sat down as a team this week and made deliberations to give our best. We need to put up such kind of a performance to be able to bounce back,” Oduor said after the match.
He added; “Now we need to remain more consistent by keeping the winning run going. We can’t look back form here and hopefully we can narrow the gap with the top teams because the season is just getting started and we have time to catch up.”
Oduor scored the opener, before laying the key pass that led to David Odoyo’s second, and assisted Joseph Mwangi for his first goal for the club.
“I am relieved to have finally scored because it had been getting really tough. I came off a very good spell in Nzoia where I was scoring and assisting but it has been tough settling down at Tusker and no goals in 10 matches was tough for me,” Mwangi said after the match.
Oduor into the scoresheet after two minutes
Tusker’s Mike Oduor celebrates his goal against City Stars
Tusker opened the scoring after just two minutes when Oduor rose brilliantly to head home from a Boniface Onyango corner.
City Stars were stunned with the early goal and they attempted to get their way back, with Dennis Wanjala coming close with a freekick but it was turned behind for a corner by keeper Brian Bwire.
Their ambition to get back into contention was further dented after 19 minutes when Odoyo scored the second. A brilliant pass from Oduor to John Byamukama on the right saw the Ugandan cut back a cross which Odoyo hit home after Mwangi had missed the initial attempt.
With a two goal cushion, Tusker had now well calmed into the match. City Stars on the other hand were not resting easy as they kept pushing and they came close when Clifford Otieno unleashed a shot from distance, but keeper Brian Bwire made a good save.
While City Stars pushed to get a goal before halftime, they were dented four minutes to the break when Tusker got the third, Oduor delivering a brilliant ball from a freekick with Mwangi heading it home unmarked from inside the box.
With a 3-0 lead at halftime, Tusker were well on course for victory.
City Stars though came back hungrier in the second half as they forced Tusker to play on the backfoot. On the hour mark though they were almost caught out again when Eric Kapaito unleashed a shot from distance, but it flew inches over the bar with the keeper well beaten.
Bwire turns the ball into his own net
Tusker Keeper Brian Bwire rises to collect a cross
The visitors however found their way back into the game in the 62nd minute when keeper Bwire inadvertently turned the ball into his own net as he tried to pluck out a rebounded cross. The goal gave City Stars life and they began to raid the Tusker rear.
In the 66th minute Bwire made amends with a brilliant point blank save to deny Samuel Kapen one on one, before making another crucial one on one block to close out Dennis Oalo.
Tusker had some chances also in between, Chris Erambo seeing his shot saved by the keeper while substitute James Kibande also had a curling shot roll straight into the keeper’s arms.
The brewers managed to see off the result and ease the pressure off their shoulders
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