Mathare take charge as Leopards, Tusker slip

Mathare United reclaimed leadership of the SportsPesa Premier League by sinking home team Thika United as AFC Leopards missed the chance to open a slim advantage at the top by being held to a 1-1 draw by bogey team Chemelil Sugar in Sunday’s action.

Tusker FC also spurned the opportunity to takie charge at the summit when they were held to a 2-2 draw by Ushuru FC while pre-season favourites Bandari FC, are within a point of the frontrunners after piling more woes on 2009 champions Sofapaka with a 1-0 victory in Machakos.

The league that takes a fortnight break to allow Harambee Stars to prepare for and play their AFCON qualifier away to Guinea Bissau with Mathare ahead of Leopards by goal difference at the top with 11 points each with Bandari and Tusker locked at 10 ahead of fifth and sixth placed Ulinzi Stars and Muhoroni Youth who are on tied nine.

Obadiah Ndege struck with 20 minutes left at Thika as Francis Kimanzi capped the week he was named the inaugural winner of the Fidelity Insurance Coach of the Month for February in fine fashion when his slum boys reclaimed the lead they lost last weekend when they were held to a barren draw by Kakamega Homeboyz.

Having ended their sworn enemies and faltering champions, Gor Mahia’s 17-month unbeaten streak, belief was coursing through Ingwe’s veins that their wrectched recent against Chemelil would end at Nairobi’s Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday.

However, things did not go according to the script for the Leopard’s faithful when Dennis Onkangi gave the visitors the lead on the stroke of half time before Congolese national, Allan Kateregga spared their brushes when he hauled the teams level in the 62nd for a share of the spoils.

“The first half we did not play well but when we brought (Andrew) Tololowa, it made a big difference. Yes, we need to work on it, we need to be better. Today, it was not good in the first half. The other team did their best to score so it is a good for them but not for us,” Leopards Belgian boss, Ivan Jacky Minnaert said after the stalemate, the two dropped points seeing them blow the opportunity to go two points clear at the top.

“When we play Ingwe, the pressure is always on them. I gave my boys the freedom to express themselves on the pitch when they had the ball but I’m not pleased overall because we missed a good chance to win the game,” his opposite number, Francis Baranza, observed with the draw seeing them inch up to 10th on six points.

After a slow burner start at Nyayo, Leopards took the initiative against a Chemelil side that was content to hold their backline and they had to wait until the 25th minute to find a real sniff at goal when Kateregga unloaded a stinging freekick that was pushed behind for a wasted corner by Chemelil goalie, Samuel Odhiambo.

Odhiambo was called to action again to push away a threatening Kateregga cross that was aimed at Kepha Aswani four minutes later before Chemelil fashioned an opportunity in the 33rd when their striker, Jared Obwoge fired wide when put through on goal by Erastus Mwaniki.

With the match set to go for the break goalless, Chemelil stunned the home side when Willis Ouma crossed from the right to provide the assist for Dennis Onkangi who hit the target with a diving header.

Minnaert brought Tololwa, the hero of the Mashemeji Derby for Simon Abuko at the interval but Ingwe were almost 2-0 when their keeper, Lucas Indeche kept out a stinging effort from Onkangi two minutes after the re-start.

Ingwe piled the pressure and salvaged the point when Odhiambo failed to hold on to a Clifton Miheso cross and Kateregga was well positioned to sweep in the rebound.

In Machakos, Tusker were well poised to go to the top with victory but fell behind to an Eric Okoth’s goal in the 36th before Michael Khamati pulled them level in the 63rd. Three minutes later, Rodgers Ochieng made it 2-1 to the taxmen before Collins Shivachi notched a second equaliser for the brewers in the 71st.

In the second game at the same venue, Sofapaka slumped to their fourth successive defeat when Ugandan Musa Mudde got the winner for Bandari with 20 minutes to full time to leave them stuck in 13th on three points.