Mathare United got one over Shabana to end their winless run as birthdayboy Ryan Ogam netted his 13th league goal in as many appearances to keep Tusker firmly in the title race.
Mathare United ended their five-match winless streak with a gritty 1-0 victory over Shabana FC at the Dandora Stadium on Saturday. The Slum Boys owed their success to debutant Brian Ouru, whose composed header in the 31st minute sealed the much-needed win.
The match started amid chaos outside the stadium, where security personnel were forced to use tear gas to control the unruly crowd. However, the commotion did little to disrupt the intensity on the pitch. Both teams launched spirited attacks in the opening exchanges, with Mathare’s defense, marshaled by Cetric Asango and Kelly Mukok, proving decisive in keeping Shabana at bay.
Meshack Ochieno almost gave Mathare the lead in the 24th minute but failed to convert a Sammy Imbuye cross. The breakthrough finally came when Elli Asieche's deflected shot fell kindly to Ouru, who glanced it past the Shabana goalkeeper to register his debut goal.
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Shabana came close to an equalizer early in the second half, striking the upright from a corner.
However, Mathare goalkeeper Job Mboya stood firm, making a vital save in the 71st minute to deny Brian Michira’s long-range effort. Ouru nearly doubled Mathare’s lead with a speculative left-footed attempt late in the game, but the single goal proved enough to secure all three points.
Tusker reclaim FKF Premier League top spot
In another high-stakes encounter, Tusker FC celebrated a 3-1 victory over Posta Rangers at Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos. The Brewers had to rally from behind after Ivan Ochieng opened the scoring for Posta in the 32nd minute. The lead was short-lived, as Ryan Wesley Ogam, on his 20th birthday, equalized a minute later, converting a cutback from Thomas Omole.
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Ogam’s strike marked his 13th goal of the season, cementing his status as one of the best signings of the transfer window. Five minutes later, Thomas Teka capitalized on a poorly handled corner by Posta's goalkeeper Bixente Otieno, heading Tusker into the lead.
Posta’s hopes of a comeback were dashed in the 78th minute when Otieno was shown a red card for a last-man tackle on Omole. Down to ten men, Posta struggled to respond, and Tusker sealed the win in the 86th minute with a towering header from Charles Momanyi. The result sent Tusker to the top of the FKF Premier League table, pending other results.
How did other matches go?
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Bidco United secured a 2-0 win over Sofapaka at Dandora Stadium, with Benjamin Mosha and John Onyango finding the net. Elsewhere, KCB edged out Mara Sugar in a seven-goal thriller, winning 4-3. Despite a strong start by Mara, KCB's resilience, led by a brace from James Kinyanjui, proved decisive.
Meanwhile, Kenya Police FC saw their five-game winning streak come to an end in a goalless draw with Kakamega Homeboyz.