Seal were in fine form and came out of Mbaraki with a comfortable win over hosts Mombasa Elite.
Murang’a Seal closed the gap between them and leaders Shabana FC to just six points after edging out Mombasa Elite 2-0 in a National Super League (NSL) match staged at Mbaraki Sports Club on Monday.
Goals from Ally Yusuf and Eric Juma were enough to hand Seal three important points as they continued their surge and push to catch up with leaders Shabana.
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The victory pushed Murang’a to 48 points, second in the log and six points behind Shabana and seven ahead of third-placed Migori Youth.
The game got off to a slow start with both teams struggling to find rhythm in a very dull first opening fifteen minutes.
Seal then started finding rhythm in the match and Ally Yusuf opened the scoring in the 25th minute with a low strike past goalkeeper Issa Emuria.
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Emmanuel Chagwe had a chance to level matters after going through on goal from a counter-attack but his thumping strike was brilliantly parried over the crossbar by the Seal shot-stopper.
Patrick Nyale’s charges had better resistance towards the end of the stanza and threatened going forward as they had a penalty appeal for a header that ricocheted off the hand of a Seal defender at the near post.
The first-half ended with Seal leading 1-0 and Mombasa Elite had to find a way to beat Masuluke in the second-half.
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However, the tactician feels the club will take some time to challenge Gor Mahia and Tusker.
The visitors were the better side in the opening exchanges of the second-half as they looked to double the lead.
Murang’a Seal attacker John Kiplagat made an overlapping run just before the hour-mark and he tried to beat Issa Emuria at the near-post, but the keeper made a low save.
Mombasa Elite coach Patrick Nyale decided to make a tactical change in the 62nd minute pulling out ineffective Edwin Khaemba for Athman Shaban.
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Elite had to be cautious when pushing forward in numbers as Seal looked dangerous on the counter-attack.
However, Elite were then punished in the 74th minute when Eric Juma was sent through on goal and he beat Emuria to seal Seal's 2-0 win.
In other Monday matches, SS Assad lost 2-1 to Kisumu All Stars at the Shamu Grounds in Ukunda while at Wundanyi Stadium, Mwatate United lost by a solitary goal to Migori Youth.
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Monday's NSL results
Mombasa Elites 0-2 Murang'a Seal Fc
SS Assad FC 1-2 Kisumu All Stars
Mwatate United 0-1 Migori Youth