Kisumu All Stars hold Tusker in four-goal thriller

Substitute Eick Otieno drilled in a sumptuous free-kick right at the death to snatch a point from the jaws of defeat in a lively 2-2 draw with visiting Tusker FC at the Moi Stadium in Kisumu.

Tusker were on course to claiming all the three points when substitute Timothy Otieno nodded in a header in the 90th minute but All Stars had other ideas, winning a free kick at the edge of the box when Otieno was upended in the zone and he rose to make no mistake, curling to the top right corner with much velocity giving Tusker’s goalie Robert Mboya no chance, late, late in the game.

The goal drove the fans into a delirium as he peeled off his shirt and wheeled to the corner flag for celebrations  as Tusker’s bench and players stood still, stunned at the development.

All Stars, playing at home, had however assumed an unlikely lead in the 41st minute, Michael Owino taking advantage of Tusker`s lapse in defence to poke home a harmless looking ball, catching the visitors by surprise but the travelling side drew level at the stroke of half-time, Luke Namanda easily connecting home a long range aerial pass from skipper Eugene Asike.

Chances were thick and fast in either half, Tusker’s winger George ‘Blackberry’ Odhiambo watching in disbelief as his volley in the ninth minute went straight into the waiting arms of Gad Mathews, in Kisumu goal!

All Stars had their chance in the 15th minute from a patient build-up play, Steve Otieno`s trigger being saved by Robert Mboya.

Prior to today’s match, All Stars, nicknamed the Eagles, had showed their fighting spirit losing 3-2 away to Ulinzi Stars at the Afraha Stadium, and they were in their element here in the first 18 minutes of the contest.

Tusker had on the other hand warmed up to this tie with a precious 1-0 win over inform AFC Leopards on February 9, also at Afraha.

But in this contest, each gave  in equal proportion, Tusker’s Christopher Ochieng driving his free-kick inches above the crossbar, four minutes to the break.

Tusker could have widened the lead 11 minutes after the interval, former Gor Mahia man BlackBerry rattling the inside of the crossbar in a goal-mouth melee.

After coach Robert Matano brought in winger Timothy Otieno, it added punch into Tusker`s forward mobility, the attacker creating chance after chance, and had his own shout at goal thwarted in the 68th minute, Gad coming to the rescue of The Eagles again, tipping the effort above the crossbar for an unsuccessful corner before he put his name on the scoresheet  in the 90th minute.

“We made several errors, we threw the match,” a dissapointed Tusker coach Matano said after the match while his opposite number, Andrew Aroka, hailed the fighting spirit of his boys.

Tags:

Kisumu All Stars Draw Tusker kisumu Timothy Otieno Erick Otieno Moi Stadium

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