Bandari blow chance to go top, Tusker held

Bandari FC missed the chance to return top of the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) standings after going down 2-0 to Sony Sugar at the Awendo Green Stadium.

It was only the first time the Coastal-based side has suffered back to back league defeats since October 2017 after they also lost 2-1 to Ulinzi Stars in their previous outing.

Yohanna Omollo and Derrick Otanga struck in the second half for the hosts to down Bandari and inflict them only their third loss of the season.

In Ruaraka, prolific Enosh Ochieng’ converted a 53rd minute penalty as Ulinzi Stars fought back to hold Tusker FC in a 1-1 draw after the hosts had been put ahead by Sydney Ochieng in the first half.

Tusker clicked first after a slow start riddled with misplaced passes as the hosts capitalized on a defensive blunder from Bonventure Muchika to go 1-0 up.

Timothy Otieno won possession after Muchika’s mistake but his shot blocked yet Ochieng reacted fastest to beat James Saruni on the rebound.

The player had an opportunity to double his tally on the day after fizzing into a fine position with a penetrating run but he handled the ball just outside the box after some pressure from the Ulinzi defence.

The visitors showed more purpose with their play in the second half and it did not take long before they levelled the score, hitting back in the 53rd minute after Ochieng picked his spot well and beat goalkeeper Mboya from the spot.

A couple of minutes after the away side sounded their warning, veteran Oscar Wamalwa of Ulinzi was at it again, firing a well calculated shot but the Tusker custodian saved effortlessly.

Troublesome throughout the second half, Wamalwa  put ulinzi’s Borafia Omar through with a defence splitting pass from the left flank in the 84th  minute only for the latter to be denied by a stubborn Tusker backline.

But even so, the margin could have been wider for Tusker  had Ulinzi’s goalie not stopped  a stoppage time shot from Timothy Otieno.

In Awedno, the Dockers kicked off the afternoon the better side dictating play for most part of the opening half, pushing for an early lead with Yema Mwana firing wide in the fifteenth minute with an empty net glaring at him after receiving a fine headed pass from Hassan Addallah.

The visitors launched a series of attacks with William Wadri blazing inches wide and Benjamin Mosha’s shot from distance blocked by a resilient Sony backline just on the stroke of half time, ensuring the sides went to a barren break.

Sony pulled the trigger two minutes from the restart, bagging the opener through Omollo before the visitors were forced to a change just before the hour mark as defender Bernard Odhiambo suatained an a knock from Sony front man Enock Agwandwa with forward Dan Guya coming on.

New signing Alex Orotomal was thrown on as Mwalala pushed for the equalizer and his first touch was a cracking shot on the side after some nice control on the chest.

Abdallah Hassan was headed for the bench moments later with Shaban Kenga on for a goal but the millers would the double their lead in the 70th minute through Otanga with a simple tap in from a lovely cross in the area, in what would be the final score.

-Report by Julius Juma and Hillary Anekea

Tags:

Bandari FC tusker fc. KPL Sony Sugar

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