Pamzo dusting down for Gor as Rangers streak ends

Posta Rangers Head Coach Sammy ‘Pamzo’ Omollo told his charges to pick themselves up quickly as their remarkable unbeaten streak came crashing at Nakuru’s Afraha Stadium in the hands of Ulinzi Stars.

The 1-0 win lifted Ulinzi second on the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) standings as Rangers – who began round 11 ranked second – slipped two places down to fourth.

Tusker FC who have knocked off their startling early season slump dropped third after moving second temporarily following their 2-0 win over Mathare United earlier on Saturday.

At the Nyayo National Stadium, leaders Gor Mahia FC were held to a 1-1 draw by Thika United as they blew away the chance to go at least four points clear of their nearest assailants.

“I knew our beaten run would soon come to an end but all is not lost because the results will helped us to rectify our blunders ahead of our next match against Gor Mahia,” Omollo told Citizen Digital following their defeat on Sunday.

His Ulinzi counterpart Benjamin Nyangweso congratulated his boys for executing his dressing room ‘pep talk’ that brought to an end KPL’s only remaining streak that had stood for 11 gameweeks.

“I told my boys they must end Posta Rangers unbeaten run and they must utilized even half a chance and I am happy they took my advise seriously and scored the winning goal,” the soft spoken tactician said.

The Military Men had a brilliant afternoon as they launched a series of attacks as their opponents backpedaled into their own half.

But it was Posta Rangers who nearly opened the scoring account when Dennis Mukaisi entered the danger zone but his grass-cutter missed the target with Ulinzi second choice goalkeeper Jacktone Odhiambo well beaten.

Two minutes later it was the chance of the soldiers to squander a  glorious opportunity when off colour Sammy Onyango rising header was cleared from the goaline by a Posta Ranger defender in a goalmouth melee.

Both sides were deadlocked 0-0 at the interval.

Upon resumption, Nyangweso seemed to have instructed a change in pattern of play as the soldiers opened gunfire on the rear guard of their opponents  almost non-stop.

Their efforts were rewarded when their top scorer Stephen Waruru took his goal tally to seven when he headed home past goalkeeper Patrick Matasi following a corner kick by Daniel Waweru.

In a bid to maintain the attacking tempo Coach Nyangweso brought in Evans Amwoka and Oscar Wamalwa and rested Michael Otieno and Waruru.

On the opposite side coach Pamzo introduced the trio of John Nairuka, Collins Omondi and Godfrey Kataka for Gerishon Likonoh, Joseph Nyaga and Simon Mbugua.

However, his substitution did little to turn the game as Ulinzi raided their rearguard missing an easy scoring chance.

Daniel Waweru rasping shot five minutes of the added time rattled the woodwork in what would have been Ulinzi Stars second goal of the match.

-Report by Evans Asiba.