Kenyan Premier League: Drama as Sofapaka and Tusker deliver nine-goal extravaganza
Football
By
Rodgers Eshitemi
| Mar 18, 2018
Two players sent off as top-tier league players bulge the net 21 times.
Ugandan striker Umaru Kasumba came off the bench to score a brace as Sofapaka staged a dramatic comeback to trounce 10-man Tusker 5-4 in yesterday’s enthralling Kenyan Premier League match at Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos.
AFC Leopards, too, treated fans to another round of drama in the second game staged at the same venue when Ezekiel Odera’s last-gasp penalty earned Ingwe a hard fought 2-1 win over a resilient Kakamega Homeboyz.
The victory saw Leopards go level on points (16) with rivals and league leaders Gor Mahia.
On a day 21 goals were scored on the KPL front, Mathare United also rallied to beat their hosts Sony Sugar 2-1 as newcomers Wazito registered their second win of the season after seeing off cash-strapped Nakumatt 2-0 at Camp Toyoyo. In Nakuru, Ulinzi Stars were forced to a frustrating 2-2 draw by 10-man Posta Rangers.
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The mailmen were reduced to 10 men after goalkeeper Patrick Matasi was red-carded following an elbow on Ulinzi forward Masita Masuta.
All eyes, however, were in Machakos where Sofapaka and Tusker served up a nine-goal thriller. The brewers threw away the lead thrice with poor defending and goalkeeping errors costing them. Tusker’s hard-tackling midfielder Hashim Sempala added fire to the absorbing contest when he was sent off for a second yellow card after stumping on an opponent in the 88th minute.
Kepha Aswani helped himself to a double with goalkeeper Mathias Kigonya scoring Batoto Ba Mungu’s other goal from the penalty spot after Bonaventure Khasubuli tripped Stephen Waruru in the box. The brewers got their goals through Mathew Odongo, Apollo Otieno, Sempala, and Jackson Macharia.
Despite the win that took Sofapaka’s points tally to 13, coach Sam Ssimbwa admitted having concerns about his leaky defence.
“Yes, we won, but I am not happy with the type of goals we conceded. This is not netball that you can easily gift away goals like that. We were not scoring before, but since we started scoring we are also conceding very stupid goals,” a furious Ssimbwa told Standard Sports.
Ssimbwa’s counterpart and fellow countryman Sam Timbe also shared his defensive frustrations after the defeat.
“I am very disappointed with the way we conceded all the five goals. It is unbelievable that we threw away the lead three times. We at least deserved a point,” said Timbe.
It took just two minutes for Aswani to open up the scoring when the former AFC Leopards man capitalised on youthful goalkeeper Bryne Omondi’s error to put Sofapaka ahead.
However, five minutes later, Odongo pounced on a loose ball in the area to draw level before Apollo Otieno’s 25th minute deflected screamer handed the brewers a 2-1 lead going to the break.
Kigonya then levelled the scores four minutes into the second half through a penalty kick, but Tusker responded immediately and restored the lead when Sempala shrugged off a challenge from his marker and unleashed a screamer that left Kigonya rooted.
However, Aswani cut the brewers’ celebration short as he equalised on restart before Tusker regained the lead again through Jackson Macharia’s effort.
Tusker seemed to be winning the game, only for Kasumba to latch on to Aswani’s cross to level the score on his first touch after replacing Kevin Kimani on the hour mark.
The Ugandan then clinically grabbed his brace in the 74th minute when he beat the keeper with a powerful low shot in the box.