Brewers beat All Stars to take KPL lead as Posta edge AFC
Tusker leaped to the top of the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) standings after blitzing Kisumu All Stars also known as ‘Otenga’ 2-0 at Tusker Village grounds in Ruaraka yesterday.
Goals by Jackson Macharia and team skipper Timothy Otieno in either side of the break saw Tusker leap frog Gor Mahia to the summit of the league although the latter have three matches at hand over them.
But while Tusker fans may have gone home a happy lot, the team’s coach Robert Matano was not impressed by the all-round performance. “I’m happy with the win but not the input by the players.
We missed a litany of open scoring chances and this is not good for a team that is clamouring to win the league title.
There were glaring frailties and we have to go back to the drawing board to get a solution to this,” said Matano.
All Stars endured some nervy moments in the early exchanges and were lucky not to concede in the fifth minute when Otieno forced goalkeeper Geoffrey Were into a fine save with a power-packed drive from the edge of the box.
But All Stars could not resist Tusker’s forays for long as Macharia pounced onto Oteno’s delivery in the 20th minute to beat Were at close range for the hosts’ opener.
Otieno then atoned for his missed chances in the 50th minute with a simple tap-in after Macharia had done the spadework on the left wing.
“The players tried to press hard against an experienced team and I must say there is chance for improvement.
I hope to instil some tactical acumen in the two-week period I will be with the team,” said All Stars interim coach Arthur Apiyo who took over from sacked Henry Omino on Monday.
Meanwhile, AFC Leopards left Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos disappointed after the team fell to an extra-time goal to lose 2-1 to Posta Rangers.
The two sides played out an entertaining match at a soggy ground thanks to the heavy rains that have been pounding the area. Rangers grabbed the opener four minutes into the second half through Marcelus Ingotsi before John Makwata equalised for Ingwe with a penalty three minutes later.
