Tusker brew victory over Muhoroni to sustain title push

Battling Tusker FC opened a five-point lead at the top of the Kenya Premier League (KPL) after a 2-1 victory over hosts Muhoroni Youth FC at Nakuru’s Afraha Stadium on Friday.

The Brewers got off a blistering start with the 2014 KPL Player of the Year; Anthony Ekaliani Ndolo and George Mandela giving them a 2-0 cushion in the seventh and 11th minutes of the opening half to set them on their way.

Muhoroni, who missed top scorer striker Wycliffe Ochomo, halved the deficit in the 55th to set up a nervy second half but Paul Nkata’s men held on for the crucial victory that could prove priceless in their bid to lift the crown with five games of the season left.

Tusker stretched their tally to 48 points at the top of the log to pile on the pressure on champions Gor Mahia who take on basement side Sofapaka on Sunday to respond as the title chase looks set to go down the wire.

The visitors were the better side from the first whistle with Muhoroni struggling to find any rhythm as Allan Wanga and Noah Wafula advertised the opening goal by coming close to breaking the deadlock inside the opening five minutes.

Returning Humphrey Mieno was pulling all strings in the middle of the pack as he effortless won his challenges and set his attackers on goal almost unimpeded.

Soon, all the dominance against an obliging Muhoroni paid off when Ugandan import and former Bull FC midfielder, Hashim Sempala, created the opener by finding Ndolo with a long ball from deep leaving him the task of rounding past the exposed Farouk Shikhalo in goal and stroking the ball into an empty net.

Four minutes later, John ‘Bobby’ Ogolla’s charges found themselves 2-0 down when Mandela produced a clinical finish from Wafula’s cross.

Muhoroni fashioned a rare first half chance when Francis Ocholla belted in a free-kick from range but his effort was punched out by David Okello in the Brewer’s goal with half an hour of the contest gone before Lwamba Bebeto missed from the rebound with the keeper still prone on the turf.

The introduction of speedy winger, Sammy Ndung’u for Wycliffe Nyangechi, paid dividends for Muhoroni and ten minutes after the restart, they turned the game into a contest when the substitute sent in a cross that was headed in emphatically by Michika.

On the stroke of the hour, Wanga saw his free-kick blocked before Mieno’s missed the target narrowly with Shikhalo out of his line.

Tusker survived a frenetic finish from Muhoroni as they held on to the end in a result that left the losers perched in ninth position on 33 as they paid the ultimate price for a dreadful start.