Champions: Tusker recapture Premier League title

Tusker FC can finally toast the champagne after they were officially confirmed as the new FKF Premier League champions in a success that ended Gor Mahia FC’s four-year hold of the title.

Tusker secured the crown on the final day of the season when they edged Bidco United 2-1 on Sunday, finishing three points ahead of KCB who mounted a strong challenge of their own.

KCB’s 1-1 draw against AFC Leopards last week had already virtually handed Tusker the title as it left them needing to win by at least seven goals against Nairobi City Stars and hope the leaders lose.

The Bankers won 3-0 and should feel proud of how their campaign panned out yet there was no such collapse from Tusker who have led the rest for nearly the entire championship.

Rodgers Aloro and Henry Meja scored for the Tusker as David Orem netted Bidco’s consolation, with the newcomers in the topflight also ending their first season with an exciting show.

Tusker thus concluded the season with a total of 65 points, winning the title they last won in the 2016 season and importantly, justifying their CAF Champions League ticket they were given back on June 30.

It was a moment of pride for coach Robert Matano who sealed his third Kenyan Premier title as a coach.

Unlike his normal days when he clads brandes track-suits, Matano arrived at the Utalii Grounds in a black suit and a white shirt, underlining indeed the moment of pride he was enjoying.

Notably, his unusual smile while talking to journalists immediately after the match showed just how much the accolade meant to him, after two seasons of building the winning team.

“We can now celebrate, we can look back with pride at the work we have done. Everyone worked hard for it and the believe has finally been rewarded,” he said.

Within the opening 10 minutes, Boniface Muchiri and Humphrey Mieno had come close for Tusker while Peter Nzuki and Alex Juma made notable efforts for Bidco.

In the 20th, Emery Mvuyekure, Tusker’s goalkeeper did well to stop Peter Anyona’s header, having beaten Rogers Aloro to connect Nzuki’s cross.

But it was the Ruaraka brewers who would breakthrough first, when Aloro converted from the spot after a hardworking Muchiri was fouled in the box.

Momentum

Aloro went for power, but also stretched Bidco custodian Brian Opondo to the left corner where he buried the ball for the opener.

Just before the half-hour mark, David Kalama called Mvuyekure to action with a low close-range shot, as the hitherto besieged Bidco sought to regain momentum.

Meja responded in the 32nd, his low drive on the right corner beating Opondo for Tusker’s second goal, having skillfully dodged his marker just outside the box.

The zealous brewers were unrelenting, and would have made it 3-0 soon after as Luke Namanda, Mejja and Jackson Macharia traded neat passes in the area, but the latter was stopped for offside just before pulling the trigger.

A minute to the break, Mieno found unmarked Muchiri at the edge of the box on the left side, who shot powerfully to beat the keeper but the ball flew slightly over the bar.

The pace was slower for both sides upon resumption and there was no much threat until the 69th when a ping-pong in the Tusker’s box ended with Orem’s feeble shot beating Mvuyekure to reduce the deficit to 2-1.

The goal boosted the Anthony Akhulia-coached side and enjoyed a fair share of the proceedings, with the lanky substitute Orem  showing intentions for more.

With the clock fast ticking towards fulltime, it grew into a two sided affair, both teams knocking quite convincingly bu the scoreboard was not to change.