KPL: Ulinzi dismiss Mathare as Chemelil hold Sofapaka

Ulinzi players celebrate their goal against Mathare United at Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos yesterday. [PHOTO/DENNIS OKEYO/ STANDARD]

Ulinzi Stars bounced back to winning ways after stopping Mathare United 2-0 at Machakos Municipal Stadium on Wednesday - continuing with a good run under coach Robert Matano.

Goals by Boniface Onyango in the fifth minute and Eric Apul in the 61st minute were enough to give the soldiers all three points away and Matano declared afterwards that the team is capable of fighting for the title chase.

“We are working very hard in our matches and the results are there to see. The consistency is coming back and we cannot rule out fighting for the title as long as we continue to win,” he said afterwards.

United should blame themselves for not going ahead early in the match after Noah Abich failed to convert a second minute penalty.

Ulinzi goalkeeper James Saruni saved Abich’s effort and the miss seemed to have affected United after that as the team took time to settle and allowed their opponents to control the proceedings.

United coach Stanley Okumbi said failure to score early and then conceding afterwards rattled his boys.

“We had a chance to get ahead but missed it. Then they scored and it became difficult to come back into the match,” said Okumbi.

In the 34th minute, Stephen Waruru also missed to score on the turn as his shot flew wide.
Towards the end of the first half, United looked settled and went on the offensive but the best they could get were a couple of corners.

As the second half kicked off, United rested Vincent Odongo for Harrison Mwendwe but it was the soldiers who had the first chance to go ahead.
From a free kick at the edge of the United box, Evans Amuoka headed just wide.

Then in the 61st minute, Stephen Waruru was brought down by Edger Ochieng who was cautioned and from the free kick, Apul found himself inside the United box to score the second goal.

United defenders will blame themselves for allowing the goal as they stood when the free kick was taken thinking Apul was in an off-side position.

In another encounter at the same venue, Chemelil Sugar and Sofapaka drew 1-1.

Hamisi Mwinyi scored first for Chemelil in the 84th minute before John Barasa equalised in injury time.

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