FKF-PL: Tusker held as Stima shock Leopards

Kenyan Premier League Leaders Tusker FC were on Tuesday held to a barren draw by bottom-placed Mathare United, wasting an opportunity to open a nine-point gap at the summit.

The ‘Slum Boys’ put up a brave fight frustrating the brewers’ frequent attempts, to escape unscathed in their efforts to escape the axe with only seven matches remaining.

Despite the laudable effort, Mathare are still bottom on 15 points from 25 matches while Tusker moved to 55 points, seven ahead of second-placed KCB, who face Ulinzi Stars on Wednesday at the Thika Stadium.

“We have not played well today, I can say we were not clinical in our finishing. However, getting one point is better that losing all, so we will continue working hard. I am sure we will bounce back,” said Tusker’s coach Robert Matano.

Mathare’s Frank Ouna was thankful for the point from the league leaders, challenging his boys to build on it.

Elsewhere in Nakuru at the Show Grounds, Western Stima shocked AFC Leopards with a 3-2 defeat, in a dramatic affair full of officiating questions from the Leopards coach Patrick Aussems.

“We played badly in the first half, but we really fought in the second half. As for officiating I don’t want to comment, you all saw for yourselves. I’m a professional coach, I have professional players but sadly the referee isn’t professional,” lamented the Belgian.

Stima had their first two goals within the opening 15 minutes, disorienting Leopards whose catch up game failed despite scoring two late goals as the Abdalla Juma men also scored in the death.

“I thank my players for playing to the plan, and giving me an Idd-Ul-Adha present of three points. I hope we can build on this in our next match. I however was not impressed with the goals we conceded because we were almost losing maximum points towards the end,” he noted.

At the Thika Stadium, Bandari and Bidco United settled for a 2-2 draw, both sides finishing with 10 men on the pitch as Umaru Kasumba and David Kalama were given their matching orders for Bandari and Bidco respectively.

David Orem and Alex Juma were on target for Bidco in the 27th and 43rd, but Kasumba and William Wadri’s second half goals ensured a share of spoils.