Tusker make it four in a row with nervy Bidco victory

• Tusker beat Bidco 1-0 at the Thika Stadium
• The brewers have won all their four matches this season
• They are on a 25-match unbeaten streak

FKF Premier League defending champions Tusker FC continued with their impressive start to the season, picking their fourth victory in a row after edging out Bidco United 1-0 at the Thika Stadium on Saturday.

Clyde Senaji scored the solitary goal in the tie as the brewers earned a 25^th match without a defeat, though they had to clutch on straws in the final minutes of the game with Bidco threatening.

“It has never been easy against Bidco but we are thankful for the win. It wasn’t easy. What is the most important thing for us is that we have three points and we now focus on the next match. I am glad to have scored and helped my team win,” said Senaji.

Head coach Robert Matano was also pleased with the win, though he admitted it didn’t come as clean as he had hoped.

“We missed up to four players in the starting team due to injuries and other issues but we still managed to get a result. It wasn’t an easy match away from home. But this is behind us, focus is now on the next match. We need to go game by game,” said the tactician.

Senaji scored the opener on the quarter hour mark when he flicked home a header from the edge of the six yard box after picking out a corner from John Njuguna, making his first start of the season. Senaji had also been thrown into the starting team in place of Humphrey Mieno who missed the game.

Tusker struggle to create chances

Bidco’s Peter Nzuki shields the ball away from Tusker’s Shaphan Oyugi

But apart from the goal, Tusker struggled to create much and it was Bidco who played more and were adventurous going forward. They had some half chances here and there, with David Gateri and Ezekiel Okare having shots fly over the bar.

Three minutes to the break the hosts came close to an opening goal when Henry Juma found space at the edge of the box and rifled a shot at goal, but the hawkeyed Patrick Matasi made a flying save to turn the ball behind for a corner.

In the second half, Tusker made offensive changes with Njuguna and Shaphan Oyugi coming off for Collins Otieno, making his first team debut and Stewart Omondi.

Still, Tusker had to live under Bidco pressure. In the 71^st minute, the brewers gave away the ball cheaply in the middle of the pack and Bidco launched a counter, winning a freekick at the edge of the box. However, Gateri sent the effort over the bar.

Tusker make double switch 

Tusker’s Deogratious Ojok makes a block

Needing a goal to make the score safe, Tusker went for a double striker switch, bringing in David Majak and Eric Otieno, also making his competitive debut, for Eric Mmata and Deogratious Ojok.

The changes made them slightly better. In the 82^nd minute, Senaji should have killed off the game with his second of the day when he picked up the ball behind the defense, but he couldn’t execute his shot well.

Tusker lived on the edge for the final 10 minutes of the game as Bidco raided and Matasi had to make two smart saves at the near post to deny Eric Gichimu who had come on as a substitute.