Mathare United continue to impress

[PHOTO: COURTESY]

Mathare United are surely living their Kenyan Premier League dream.

For the second week this season, the slum boys came from behind to beat Nzoia United 2-1 and take lead of the 18-team league.

In their season opener, Mathare, winners in 2008, had the luxury of conceding against Vihiga United but conjured up a 2-1 against the newcomers.

This is the kind of start coach Francis Kimanzi ought to be proud of after a dismal season last year.

The former champions spent better part of their campaign in the relegation zone, before  surviving the axe by a whisker.

However, after retaining most players and making a few buys in the off-season transfer window, it looks like football gods are smiling to the slum boys again.

Granted, Mathare might not have been convincing in their last two victories, but their never-say-die attitude has somewhat enabled them to bag six points, hence boosting their confidence.

Kimanzi's boys seem to have vowed not give up and are slowly turning into comeback kings in the domestic league.

Just like their first match in Kakamega, Mathare went into the breather trailing by one goal before Chrispin Oduor and Francis Omondi netted a goal each to complete their comeback.

"Two great comebacks in two consecutive tough matches clearly shows how good our preseason was. I'm proud of the boys' fighting spirit and attitude, but I think we can do better if we avoid conceding first," Kimanzi told The Standard Sports.

"This is a continuation of last year's project. We were building a foundation and we retained over 70 per cent of the players who have now shown a lot of maturity, character and fighting spirit. With that start, I think we will be more confident."