Kenyan Premier League: Sofapaka stop taxmen

Sofapaka FC players celebrate their second goal against Ushuru FC during KPL Match at Nyayo National Stadium on Saturday, August 13, 2016. [PHOTO: JONAH ONYANGO/STANDARD]

Sofapaka temporarily moved from the bottom of the Kenyan Premier League table for the first time in many months after beating Ushuru 2-0 at Nyayo National Stadium yesterday.

It was the second win in a row for Batoto Ba Mungu (15 points) after they beat Nairobi City Stars 5-0 and moved to the 15th position, last weekend. The Stars will take on Mathare United today.

The former champions netted two goals in a span of three minutes to pile more misery on struggling Ushuru.

The goals came just moments after the taxmen’s coach Ken Kenyatta had been sent off by the referee Hadji Adede for protesting a decision to award their opponents a free kick.

Charles Melubo broke the deadlock in the 84th minute when he capitalised on Ushuru’s defensive blunder to beat goalkeeper Shaban Odhoji with a fierce shot.

Two minutes later, Brian Magonya beat Ushuru’s offside trap to beautifully head home a perfectly delivered cross from the left flank.

The result left Sofapaka coach David Ouma a happy man.

“We thank God for this victory. It is the first time to win two games in a row. I am proud of my players for the character and keeping a clean sheet. We realised the situation in the latter stages of the game and capitalised on that,” Ouma told Feverpitch.

“But we must remain focused, the league is a marathon and there is no time to rest. We are motivated because the win gives us another opportunity to fight. We are going to take each game at a time with an aim of closing the gap. It is now important for us to keep on believing. We need to have nerves in the upcoming games.”

Elsewhere, Muhoroni FC returned to the winning ways by thumping visiting Thika United 1-0 at the Muhoroni Complex.

Thika United will blame their defender Suleiman Ngotho who twice brought down Samuel Ndungu, first at the edge of the box and second, inside the box for the referee to point at the spot, a chance which the home team utilised to collect the maximum points.

The hosts had started on high but lacked creativity upfront  and wasted about five open chances as Muwonge troubled the striking force that consisted of Calvins Omanga, Yussuf Mohammed and Ndungu.

Muhoroni Youth continued to pin Thika United in their own half but their efforts bore no fruit as Thika United’s defense of Ngotho, Zack Matasi and Collins Okumu held on.