Homeboyz hammer Leopards as Mathare taste victory

Kakamega Homeboyz hammed AFC Leopards 4-1 in the Cataluhya Derby as Mathare United bounced back to winning ways in Sunday’s action of the Kenyan Premier League.

Focus was on the Mumias Sports Complex where the western region bragging rights were at stake and Homeboyz obliged in a first-half blitz that buried their more illustrious rivals to move up to fourth on 33 points, eight adrift of leaders Tusker FC.

Andrew Kulecho, Sunday Mutuku and Andrew Murunga had made it 3-0 by the 28th before Kepha Aswani pulled one back a minute to the break.

Homeboyz hit back soon after, forcing Eugine Ambulwa to put through to his own net to complete the rout as Mike Mururi’s side enjoyed their first victory of the season against the 12-time champions they are seeking to displace as regional kings.

The heavy defeat saw Ingwe slump to tenth on the log on 28 points in a result that will pile the pressure on their Belgian coach, Ivan Minnaert, who could not fashion a way past a team that came to the match determined to puncture their reputation.

Earlier, Mathare moved up to third on 34 at Nairobi’s Nyayo National Stadium courtesy of Robinson Kamura’s stunning free kick in the 71st that arrowed in past a diving Nairobi City Stars Ronny Kagunzi.

The result left City Stars rooted at the bottom as Francis Kimanzi’s Slum Boys gained a first victory in the second leg.

The scoreboard should have read 3-0 by half time, had Ezekiel Odera not wasted three clear chances in the first half for the relegation battling side, which the Kawangware based club dominated.

His first chance came in the 24th minute, but shot wide before an empty net with goalkeeper Robert Mboya off his line.

Robert Ndung’u sent in a sumptuous cross inside the box to find Odera, but his shot went off-target narrowly with Mboya, who relegated Wycliffe Kasaya, to the bench well beaten.

Odera was had another opportunity to amend for the lost chances five minutes to the break, only to direct a feeble shot to the keeper that was easily gathered having left the Mathare defenders for dead.

On resumption, Mathare took the initiative with Kamura testing Kagunzi by forcing the keeper to punch out his free kick that was eventually cleared by his defenders.

Kimanzi then brought on striker Obadiah Ndege for Derrick Onynago but it was City Stars who almost nicked a goal shortly after.

Jimmy Bageya crossed to Odera and with Mboya rushing out of his line to thwart the threat, the former Gor Mahia striker looped the ball over but George Owino raced back to clear the danger.

Then Kamura made the decisive intervention, unleashing a cracking free-kick that deservedly won the game.