Kenya Premier League: Tusker intoxicate Leopards, Gor lose

AFC Leopards Alex Orotomal(R) and Vincent Oburu of Posta Rangers battle for ball possession during their KPL match at Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos on Saturday 15/9/18[Boniface Okendo,Standard]

Substitute Jackson Macharia provided an assist and scored as Tusker inflicted the biggest SportPesa Premier League defeat of the season on lethargic AFC Leopards, thrashing them 4-0 at Kenyatta Stadium, yesterday.

It was not the type of performance many expected from the third-placed Leopards after crashing out of the FKF SportPesa Shield against Sofapaka (1-0) at the weekend.

Goals from Sydney Ochieng, Marlon Tangauzi, Boniface Muchiri and Macharia was all that the 11-time champions needed to take their points tally to 50 and pile more pressure on embattled AFC coach Rodolfo Zapata.

Leopards did create a few half chances but were a shadow of their former glory and a class below the brewers, who played with aggression and purpose.

Ingwe were ruthlessly dispatched, bullied and outplayed by a team that was at one time fighting relegation.

The Duncan Otieno led defence offered goalkeeper Ezekiel Owade no protection as the former Nakumatt shot-stopper conceded all the four goals from bogus defending, while their attack was blunt.

And their former coach, Robert Matano (now at Tusker), seems to always like beating Leopards, but this time round it was more than that; it was a humiliation as the brewers made it 8-2 on aggregate after ending their four-game winning run with a 4-2 victory in April.

Ochieng capitalized on Leopards’ poor defending to break the deadlock in the 22nd minute when he pounced on a loose ball to calmly beat the advancing Owade.

Timothy Otieno could have doubled the lead in the 40th minute but his effort bounced off the target before Owade came off his line to deny the former Gor Mahia man a scoring chance.

But two minutes later, overlapping Tangauzi put the visitors in complete control into the break when he shrugged off a challenge from Abdalla Salim before unleashing a powerful shot to beat the keeper at the near post. He then forced a fine save from Owade on the stroke of half time.

Tusker continued from where they left off in the first half with Brian Osumba coming close only after two minutes of play but his header was deflected for a corner by Salim. This was just after Rodolfo Zapata had made a tactical change, bringing on centre half Christopher Oruchum for wing back Brian Marita.

Leopards best chance in the second half came on the hour mark but substitute Eugene Mukangala’s effort was easily gathered by Tusker goalkeeper Patrick Matasi after a good build up from Ingwe.