Chager bags Classic title: Defending champion Bharij relinquishes rally title after bruising battle in Baringo

Tusker toasted to a 4-2 win over 10-man AFC Leopards at Kericho Green Stadium yesterday to ease pressure on Ugandan coach Sam Timbe.

A brace each for Timothy Otieno and Lloyd Wahome was all Tusker needed to render Isaac Oduor’s penalty and Whyvonne Isuza’s finish for Leopards just a goal differential statistic.

The brewers have been agonisingly inconsistent and questions whether they were in the frame of mind to halt an in-form Leopards was all the talk ahead of the contest in Kericho.

However, Timbe’s men quickly banished any thoughts of a pedestrian performance as Timothy Otieno made the most of poor communication between Leopards’ goalkeeper Gabriel Andika and defender Mike Kibwage to give Tusker the lead in the fifth minute.

Otieno’s goal settled the nerves of the brewers’ faithful and gave them the platform to go for more of Leopards’ blood.

And battle as Leopards would, the dismissal of goalkeeper Andika early in the first half for hacking down Otieno left Ingwe with a tall order against the brewers.

In the first game of the day at Kericho Green Stadium, Piston Mutamba was in cruise mode, scoring two goals as Wazito 10-man Wazito FC beat Zoo Kericho 2-0.

Newboys Wazito were coming off a similar victory over Nakumatt FC and were keen to keep their engine revving at Kericho Stadium and the aptly named Kenya Under23 player Piston Mutamba came up with the goods. The loss piles more misery on Zoo Kericho are stuck at the bottom of the table with a paltry four points from eight matches.

Wazito’s victory propelled them to 10th spot level on points with Chemelil Sugar and Posta Rangers after eight rounds of the new season.

The visitors had to wait until the 39th minute to get the driving seat when former AFC Leopards midfielder harun Nyakha floated a dicey free kick into the area allowing Mutamba to open scores.

Wazito did not have to wait longer to extend their lead as they were awarded a penalty from which Mutamba beat goalkeeper Martin Elungat from 12 yards.

Wazito had Emmanuel Tienan sent off in the 75th minute for a second bookable offence when he was adjudged to have simulated inside the area. Zoo, however, could not make numerical advantage as the game petered out. [Robin Toskin]