By Feverpitch Team
Nairobi,Kenya:Host Thika United and Mathare United drew 1-1 in yesterday’s Kenyan Premier League (KPL) match.
It was Thika United, who went up first in the match after John Wanyonyi scored in the 23rd minute.
The move was initiated by Kennedy Otieno, who picked a loose ball in the middle of the pack and shot on the turn. The goal bound shot was too fast for Joseph Ruto in goal. He palmed it allowing a waiting Wanyonyi to simply tap it home.
Mathare United were back in the match after ten minutes and it was substitute Meshack Karani who was responsible for the equaliser.
Karani, who replaced Daniel Mwaura, beat Thika goalkeeper Lucas Indeche with a long shot to equalise for his side.
Thika showed early intent to go ahead in the match as they forced a 15th minute corner, which was easily cleared. In Naivasha, Karuturi Sports brought down visiting Bandari 1-0. The visitors however managed to hold their opponents to a barren draw at the end of the first half.
The lone goal for Karuturi was scored by Andrew Murunga in the 83rd minute to ensure his side picked all three points at home.
Both teams took time to settle with each studying the other though it was the hosts who threatened first. Abdul Yusuf’s shot found Allan Otindo unmarked inside the Bandari box but the Karuturi man could not get space to shoot at goal. The visitors fought back with Ali Bai’s strike at goal put out by goalkeeper Noah Ayuko.
Otindo then had another chance in the 40th minute to send his side ahead but he was denied by Athman Buki, who blocked his effort.
David Televu ended the first half on a high for Bandari with a well taken free kick that however, flew inches above the Karuturi goal.
In Awendo, Sony pulled off a crucial 2-1 win over Western Stima at home in a victory that pushed them off the bottom of the log and eased pressure on coach Sammy Omollo. Ugandan strike David Nyanzi was the hero of the match as he scored a brace for the home side to enable them win.
Nyanzi was a super substitute for Sony as he came on in the 56th minute and leveled matters for Sony just seven minutes after being introduced into play.
His second was at the stroke of full time hitting the ball home from a goal mouth melee. It was Western Stima however, who took an early lead in the match after Dennis Onkangi put them ahead in the second minute.
The Sony defence will blame themselves for conceding that goal after a poor clearance, which exposed Wycliff Kasaya in goal giving Onkangi all the space to put the ball behind the net for his third goal of the season.
The home side struggled to reply after conceding the goal and took time to settle down. At the half hour mark, Sony did have an opportunity when Samuel Onyango released a screamer, which was blocked by Dan Malachi. Ben Roberts Mandela tipped over a well executed free kick by Charles Odette in the 32nd minute as Sony upped the pressure on their opponents.
It was the introduction of Nyanzi, which made all the difference for Sony with the Ugandan pushing forward time and again and it was no surprise when he got the brace to ensure all three points remained at home.
At Bukhungu Stadium, Kakamega Homeboyz balanced the books with a 1-1 draw with KCB.
—Reports by Gilbert Wandera, Francis Ontomwa, Ben Ahenda and Nick Oluoch
