Ndolo sinks former employers Sofapaka as Tusker win

Former Sofapaka FC star, Ekhaliani Ndolo bit the hand that once fed him with the winner as Tusker FC retained their SportPesa Premier League (SPL) lead with a 1-0 victory over the basement side in the Machakos Derby on Saturday.

Elsewhere, Chemelil Sugar applied the brakes on resurgent Posta Rangers by shocking the visitors 1-0 at home as Sony Sugar’s improvement continued with a similar victory at home to troubled Thika United.

Earlier, Muhoroni Youth piled more misery on AFC Leopards with you guessed it; another 1-0 victory in Kisumu.

The Brewers extended their lead at the top to four points ahead of Mathare United who are away to Bandari on Sunday with 27 with Muhoroni jumping above Leopards to sixth (20), one above Ingwe.

Sofapaka, who appeared to be the better side, were unlucky to sink narrowly at a time they are desperately fighting to move from the relegation belt.

In Machakos, the battle of Kenyatta Stadium residents was decided when Ndolo finished off Michael Khamatis’s cross in the 68th minute.

“I did not celebrate the score because of the special attachment I have with Sofapaka. It is my club, they brought me from Uganda but this is football,” the former Sofapaka midfielder and Player of the Year told Citizen Digital after the match.

Ndolo is among seven players who have previously played for Sofapaka currently in Tusker.

Despite the loss that leaves Batoto ba Mungu with only seven points after 13 outings, coach David Ouma can see light at the end of the tunnel.

“We created more chances than Tusker but we couldn’t utilize them. If you are keen with our recent matches we are playing well, we are only lacking goals.

“If I get good strikers in the June transfer window will rise again,” added the tactician who doubles as Harambee Starlets coach.

Sofapaka gave a better account of themselves in the opening stages of the match, forcing the league leaders into their own half.

Their hardwork almost bore fruits in the fifth when Wycliffe Opondo played in Peter Mugendi who was unable to score, shooting over the bar.

In the 23rd , Ndolo found Humphrey Mieno, who was skippering the team in the absence of suspended James Situma in a promising position but goalkeeper Evariste Mutuyimana denied his effort.

Soon Jackson Macharia played in Mieno, but the latter wasted the opportunity with Stephen Owusu waiting for the pass to tap into an empty net.

Coming from the break, Ouma’s side was showed more character but the rather poor finishing kept Tusker in the game.

Francis Otieno pushed Tusker’s custodian David Okello to a full stretched save after releasing a fierce shot from just outside the eighteen yard area.

Tusker’s coach Paul Nkata substituted Stephen Owusu with Khamati in the 65 th, whose three minutes presence in the field bore the goal, assisting Ndolo to haunt his former club.

-Wasteful Posta-

Posta blew the chance to leapfrog Mathare into second after they lost 1-0 to Chemelil with David Ojwang notching the solitary goal.

Chemelil started the brighter side and the game’s first effort of note fell to Ojwang in the ninth minute who after a scramble in Posta’s box slotted the ball past Patrick Matasi to make it 1-0.

Chemelil’s front man; Jafar Owiti came close to doubling the score a minute later but could only shoot straight at the keeper.

Joackins Atudo became the first player to enter into the referee’s book as his reckless tackle on Owiti earned him a yellow card much to the player’s dismay.

Posta had a chance late in the first half to level the game but Duncan Otieno fluffed Timothy Otieno’s perfectly timed pass by firing over the bar.

The Mailmen came back rejuvenated in the second half with coach Zedekiah ‘Zico’ Otieno making a double substitution in the 47th bringing on Calvin Odongo and Titus Echesa for Joseph Nyaga and Collins Omondi respectively.

The substitutions almost made an immediate impact as two minutes later.

Dennis Mukaisi latched onto a brilliant pass from Titus Achesa but his stray shot did not trouble Samuel Odhiambo who up to then had not been really tested in between the sticks.

Chances were at a minimum for the Posta team who endured a torrid time trying to breakdown their opponent’s solid defence.

Samuel Odhiambo was cautioned in the 90th by the center referee for time wasting much to the delight of the crowd who were urging the referee to put an end to the match.

Posta dominated possession in the latter stages of the game but could not do anything about Chemelil’s stubborn defence who held on to win the match 1-0.

Amos Asembeka (35th) and substitute Benjamin Mbocha (90th) scored the winners for Chemelil,  Sony and Muhoroni in their victories over Posta, Thika and Leopards.

Additional reporting by Eric Kagunda