- Tusker came from a goal down to beat Seal
- Tito Okello scored a brace for Police
- AFC Leopards beat FC Talanta in the other league match
Tusker FC and Kenya Police FC continue to battle out for second spot in the FKF Premier League, as the two sides each picked victories over the weekend. Tusker came from a goal down to beat Murang’a Seal 2-1 at the Dandora Stadium, while Police FC earned the same result against City Stars at the Police Sacco Grounds.
The results mean Police remain second in the standings with 53 points, two ahead of third placed Tusker FC.
At the Dandora Stadium, David ‘Daddy’ Odoyo and Charles Momanyi scored in the first half, to cancel out Dennis Kweyu’s earlier goal as Tusker collected their third win in a row.
Kweyu had given Seal the lead after 19 minutes with a first time volley when he beat Eugene Asike to the ball off a goalkick. Seal had a quick chance to add another goal, but John Kiplagat’s effort came off the upright.
The goal came as a shocker to the brewers who had dominated early chances, with Kapaito striking wide, while Odoyo forced a smart save off keeper Bonphas Munyasa.
Tusker rallied and equalized minutes later, Odoyo thumping home his fifth goal of the season from close range after picking up a nicely laid cutback from Eric Kapaito.
Tusker goal boosted confidence
Charles Momanyi celebrates his goal with Shaphan Oyugi
The goal boosted the team’s morale and they kept attacking, with Kapaito having another shot from the edge of the box fly into the keeper’s arms, while Mike Oduor also attempted his luck from distance, but the keeper had it gathered.
Five minutes to the break, Tusker scored the second and what would be the winner, Momanyi heading home from close range after Eric Zakayo had floated in a cross from the left.
In the second half, the team started well, with Kapaito once again having some chances but he couldn’t land a lethal force on target. The introduction of Lawrence Luvanda added some pace on the wing and he combined with Shaphan Oyugi to cause some trouble, but it couldn’t bear a goal.
The visitors piled pressure in the final 25 minutes of the game, playing high, and forcing the brewers to defend deep. In the midst of that pressure, Tusker had some chances, with Ibrahim Joshua shooting inches over the target while Mike Kibwage also had a rifled effort float just over the bar.
The team maintained its defensive discipline to ensure the points were guarded.
Meanwhile at the Police Sacco Stadium, a quickfire brace from Tito Okello saw Police FC take a 2-0 lead over City Stars, before Victor Otieno scored late in the second half to make for some nervous ending.
The double goals were not just vital for Police, but for Okello as well as it took his tally of goals to 14, just one behind golden boot race leader Benson Omalla of Gor Mahia.
AFC Leopards beat FC Talanta
AFC Leopards striker Emmanuel Lwangu celebrates his goal.
Meanwhile, AFC Leopards boosted their chances of finishing in the top five after thrashing FC Talanta 3-0 in the late kick off at the Dandora Stadium.
Goals from Emmanuel Lwangu, Arthur Gitego and Kevin Kimani earned Ingwe their third win in four games.
A tightly contested first half remained barren, but Leopards stepped up in the second half. Lwangu scored his first top flight goal in the 57th minute, thumping home a diving header from a corner.
Leopards doubled their lead through another header, this time Gitego making an intelligent run into the box before nodding home a header from a cross on the left.
Kimani then sealed the victory late on, with a brilliant shot from inside the box off a cutback on the left.
“I think we are playing really well at the moment and the target is to finish as strong as possible. The players believe that we can do better. We started the season very badly and credit to these players for doing what they have done to see the club where they are now,” said coach Thomas Trucha.
Leopards play Police FC in midweek, and victory can push them as high as fourth in the log.
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