Ulinzi leave Tusker flat, Sofapaka fall

Ulinzi Stars showed title credentials in only their second match of the new Sportpesa Premier League season with a clinical 2-0 win over a shaky and disjointed  Tusker FC in the clash of domestic titans in Machakos.

Elsewhere, Sofapaka who started their season brightly last weekend were brought crashing back to the ground with a thud when they fell 1-0 to Muhoroni FC while a last gasp Dennis Wafula goal for Thika United salvaged a point against Ushuru FC in a 1-1 stalemate.

All eyes were in Machakos where the Brewers who opened their campaign with a 2-1 win away to Thika were marking their debut in their new Kenyatta Stadium home against the soldiers who were held to a barren draw by Sony Sugar.

The first half was a physical affair and referee Anthony Ongwayo was forced to flash yellow cards to control the match.  Joseph “SIssoko” Kuria and John Mark Makwatta were the early casualties for ulinzi in the first 20 minutes.

Ulinzi had only two shots in the first half, first by new signing Kasuti and then by Makwatta just before half time, both shots flying above the target.

Tusker FC’s winger Noah Wafula was colourless in the whole of the first half, his only contribution being a yellow card he received at the stroke of Half time.

The game then came alive in the final 20 minutes. Tusker captain James Situma was penalized for a soft foul outside the box. From the resultant free kick, John Mark Makwatta curled in the opener for Ulinzi.

Tusker were deflated and did not show any signs of a comeback at all. Three minutes from time, Kuria was at the end of a superb move by Ulinzi, sending a rasping left footer past Duncan Ochieng in the tusker goal.

“I don’t know what happened to my boys. I have to work on this in the next game because my forwards ran very poorly and at the back we were shaky,” said new Tusker FC coach Paul Nkata.

Ulinzi coach Robert Matano was full of praise for his charges after the 2-0 win.

“This was a nice game. We played well because I had told the boys not to look at the name of the team, but the players. It feels good to win a difficult match like this,” said the former Tusker FC coach.

-Sofapaka skinned-

In Muhoroni, the 2009 champions Sofapaka who soared to a 3-1 victory over Ushuru fell to a lone 30th minute strike from Wycllife Ochomo who recovered from being hit 2-0 by promoted Posta Rangers last weekend.

Ushuru boss, Ken Kenyatta, was left a frustrated man, storming away from the media and declining post match comments when Wafula struck in added time to leave his side win-less in their first two matches.

Kennedy Otieno opened the scoring in the 32nd for the hosts and it seemed destined to decide the cagey encounter until Wafula’s last ditch crucial intervention after he capitalised on a defensive lapse to fire past Hamza Muwonge in the taxmen’s goal as both teams recorded their first points of the campaign.

On Sunday, misfiring champions Gor Mahia entertain promoted Rangers, Chemelil FC take on Mathare United as the Bandari welcome new boys Kakamega Homeboyz at Mbaraki.

Additional reporting by Raymond Ochieng, Paul Kimani