Sofapaka deny KRA any dues

Geoffrey Kitaka of KRA (right) and Sofapaka’s Maurice Odipo vie for the ball during their Tusker Premier League match at Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos yesterday. Sofapaka won 3-2. Below: Ecstatic Sofapaka fans celebrate their team’s victory against KRA at their Kenyatta Stadium home Thursday. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU

What you need to know:

  • Sofapaka, however, utilized their first clear chance in the 31st minute when Enoch Agwanda released an inviting throw-in which KRA’s Douglas Okumu kicked directly onto the feet of Njoroge, who obliged by sending the ball into the roof of the net.
  • The taxmen, recently renamed Ushuru, found their first goal immediately after when Geoffrey Kataka fed Mweresa next to the goal post and the latter shot home for his first goal of the season.

Sofapaka Thursday laid bare their dire need for the title with a 3-2 win over KRA in a nail-biting encounter at the Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos.

KRA’s Carlson Mweresa and Roosevelt Blatty had effectively cancelled out earlier efforts by Sofapaka’s Danson Kago and John Njoroge to put the match on a deadlock for a good half hour before utility player Anthony Ndolo tipped the scales in injury time to give Batoto ba Mungu maximum points.

The win helped the 2009 champions truncate their point difference with table toppers Gor Mahia to just one.

The taxmen, who have failed to win in seven matches, started the game on high tempo and had several scoring chances but Sofapaka goalkeeper David Okello made impressive saves to keep them at bay.

Sofapaka, however, utilized their first clear chance in the 31st minute when Enoch Agwanda released an inviting throw-in which KRA’s Douglas Okumu kicked directly onto the feet of Njoroge, who obliged by sending the ball into the roof of the net.

REGNITED TAXMEN

Sam Timbe’s charges struck again five minutes after the interval when Kago rose high to meet Njoroge’s corner kick and send the ball home.

The taxmen, recently renamed Ushuru, found their first goal immediately after when Geoffrey Kataka fed Mweresa next to the goal post and the latter shot home for his first goal of the season.

This goal re-ignited the taxmen, and it took only eight minutes before club top scorer Roosevelt Blatty plundered his fifth goal of the season after breaking lose on the left flank past the chasing Felly Mulumba.

The taxmen then started pressing with new confidence and could have taken the lead but Kataka fluffed three clear chances, the last a one-on-one moment with goalkeeper Okello.

Ndolo ensured precious points for Sofapaka with his goal late, late on. It was his seventh league goal of the season.

“We are still in the race,” said a visibly relieved Sofapaka coach, Sam Timbe.