Yema on a brace as Bandari go top, Mathare send Nzoia packing

On-form Yema Mwana struck twice as Bandari recorded a 2-1 victory over visiting KCB at the Mbaraki Sports Club to move to the summit of the Kenyan Premier League table on 45 points.

The Dockers are now a point ahead of second placed Gor Mahia and third- placed Sofapaka, all on 44 points.

Ezekiel Odera pulled one for KCB from the penalty spot but it could not help salvage the situation.

In Nairobi, at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, Mathare United registered a fighting 3-2 victory over Nzoia Sugar.

A brace from Clifford Alwanga and a lone goal from Kevin Kimani neutralized Vincent Ngesa and Kevin Juma goals as Mathare catapulted to fourth position with 38 points with Nzoia settling for position 11.

Kimani calmed his side’s nerves just two minutes into the game by netting a crucial goal with a low finish that slipped past Humphrey Katasi after Chrispin Oduor cleverly flicked Cliff Nyakeya’s cross into his path.

The lead barely lasted eight minutes as Nzoia hit back to restore parity through captain Vincent Ngesa who reacted fastest to tuck home from a well taken looping header by Gabriel Wandera .

The Francis Kimanzi-coached side were out to give the visitors a busy day at work and their tough grind could not go unnoticed as Clifford Alwanga who was lying on his side after a scuffle on the Nzoia goal area swept the ball home after being put through by Nyakeya from the right flank to set the scores at 2-1 on 14 minutes.

On 18 minutes, Mathare seemed determined to net a third goal and perhaps seal the game after David Owino forced Katasi to a superb save after being teed up for a shot inside the box by James Kinyanjui.

The last bit of the first half saw the ball move from side to side as Nzoia who were unarguably the underdogs wrestled to contain a seemingly ruthless Mathare attacking front.

At the hour mark it looked like Mathare’s form was fading as Nzoia put their best foot forward as they rallied to net an equalizer but none of them staging a clinical attack on the goal with Chrispin Oduor’s shot that veered off the posts on 58 minutes following a goal mouth melee, being the major talking point.

Nzoia’s squandered chances came to haunt in the 66^th minute when Alwanga completed his brace with a diving header after he found himself on the other end of a squeezed David Owino cross from the left flank.

The third goal seemed to have rejuvenated the spirits of the home team and in the 75th minute, Alwanga would have bagged a hat- trick for himself and a fourth goal for his team but his feet were not fast enough to get hold of Nyakeya’s cross.

Collated Results

Bandari 2-1 KCB

Mathare 3-2 Nzoia Sugar

Mt Kenya 4-3 Chemelil

Western 0-2 Ulinzi stars

Zoo 1-0 Vihiga United