ROOKIES’ delight: New comers and signings hog limelight as KPL gets underway

Nzoia FC players celebrates scoring against Tusker FC during their SportPesa Premier League match at Afraha stadium in Nakuru on March 11, 2017. Nzoia United FC won 5-2. Photo/Stafford Ondego/www.sportpicha.com

There were shocks and surprises in week one of the 2017 Kenyan Premier League season, which was dominated by newcomers and new signings.

The trailer for most of the big and seasoned KPL teams seemed quite good, save for champions Tusker, who were given a reality check by newcomers Nzoia United in Nakuru.

While Gor Mahia, Bandari and Posta Rangers gave Kariobangi Sharks (3-1), Nakumatt (1-0) and Zoo Kericho (1-0) a rude welcome to the topflight football, Tusker found themselves in an usual situation after suffering a 5-2 humiliation at the hands of Nzoia.

The Bungoma-based outfit, who are making a return to the top tier league after over a decade in the cold, made the brewers look so ordinary as they handed their coach Bernard Mwalala a winning debut, and inflicted more misery on Tusker’s new coach George Nsimbe.

Chemelil Sugar and Rangers beat Sony Sugar (2-0) and Zoo Kericho (1-0) respectively to hand both coach Abdallah Juma and Sammy ‘Pamzo’ Omollo a winning return to KPL.

Youthful Brian Otieno struck a brace on his KPL debut for Nzoia with Elvis Rupia and Boniface Omondi also scoring a goal each on their first outing in green and white hoops.

AFC Leopards defender Edwin Wafula, too, opened his scoring account at Nzoia.

Burly former Gor Mahia striker Enoch Agwanda kicked off his run with Bandari with a goal to boot that gave coach Paul Nkata a winning start in Mombasa.

It was the same scenario in Thika as Gor Mahia’s Jean Baptiste Mugiraneza and Mathare United’s David Owino netted a goal each in their respective teams’ victories.

Owino scored a late winner in a match that Sosthenes Idah hit his first goal for Thika United as they went down 3-2 to Mathare.

Both Mugiraneza and Owino stood out with their all round display that attracted praises from their coaches.

“Owino has shown some positives and potential. I was surprised with his brilliant performance. But with more matches and endurance he will become mentally strong and have more confidence.

The good thing about youngsters is that they get motivated and get better after every game,” Mathare coach Francis Kimanzi said of Owino’s superb debut.

“I was personally surprised with the goal. I didn’t expect such a performance on my debut. Either team could have won, but when I got the chance I utilised it. I am more than happy and looking forward to improve on the performance,” said Owino.

The other new signings who made their presence felt during the first matches of the season include Kenneth Muguna (Gor Mahia) and Osborne Monday (Kariobangi Sharks).

“When you have players with strong personality and quality like Baptiste and Muguna in the team, they will definitely make a difference on the field. They had a good game today and I am happy for them,” Gor coach Jose Marcelo lauded the pair’s impressive debut.

Commenting on the win, the Brazilian said: “It was a very important win against a very tough small team (Kariobangi Sharks). We didn’t want what happened to Tusker on Saturday when they played against a small team to happen to us too. When these teams come to play against us, they give 200 per cent and not 100. But I am happy with my players because they played like a big team.”

His Sharks counterpart William Muluya said: “Being our first game, we had hoped for a positive result but it doesn’t mean that it will derail our plans. We conceded a very easy first goal from a set piece. That tells us where we need to work on.”

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