Ulinzi Stars beats Stima to win KPL Top 8 title

By Gilbert Wandera

Ulinzi Stars won their first silverware of the season after coming from a goal behind to beat Western Stima 2-1 to lift the KPL Top 8 final at Nyayo Stadium.

The win came with lucrative Sh1 million prize money for the winners and is a major boost for the soldiers who left for Tanzania immediately for the regional championships.

It was Ulinzi’s second major trophy in as many years after winning the KPL last season.

Evans Amuoka came on as a second half substitute to score the decider in the 85th minute after Stephen Waruru had levelled the scores for the winners in the 58th minute.

Western Stima went ahead first when Aloice Mangi opened the scores in the 37th minute with a brilliant header that caught Jactone Odhiambo in Ulinzi’s goal off-guard. Ulinzi Stars were the better side in much of the first half with at least two clear chances falling on their way.

Anthony Nderitu shot directly at Stima goalkeeper Jackson Saleh in the 24th minute yet he had plenty of space to score.

One minute later Stephen Waruru found himself in a similar position, but was stopped by Saleh for a fruitless corner.

Broke away

In the middle of Ulinzi’s attack Wesley Kemboi broke away beating his markers and James Mulinge had to use unorthodox means to stop him earning the match’s first caution in the 34th minute.

Stima, however, had an upper hand in the opening minutes of the first half and were constantly at their opponents goalmouth keeping goalkeeper Jacktone Odhiambo busy for a good part of the start.

Stima won a corner as early as the eighth minute paving way for Ulinzi’s first attempt at goal which saw Ismael Ibrahim nearly beat David Juma in goal, but the best he could get was a corner.

Ulinzi resorted to launching their attacks from the flanks in the second half after attempts to go through the middle of the Stima defence flopped.It was from such a move that Waruru scored the first goal.

The move started from their goal area with James Mulinge picking out Eric Opul who found Waruru unmarked and he wiggled out from his markers to shoot home.

Stima had one last chance to level the game in the 67th minute, but Aloyce Maingi hesitated allow Ulinzi defenders to recover and stop his efforts to shoot at goal.