Bandari rob Mathare home comfort, Sharks stretch unbeaten run

Mathare United coach Francis Kimanzi on Friday watched from the stands as his team succumbed to a 1-0 home loss to Bandari in a SportPesa Premier League match at Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos.

In the subsequent match played at the same venue, Kariobangi Sharks cruised to a 2-0 win over Sony Sugar to take their unbeaten run to three games.

And at Sudi, Nzoia Sugar settled for a 1-1 draw against debutants Nakumatt. 

Kimanzi was serving the last of his four-match ban slapped on him for gross misconduct, and he watched helplessly as his defenders struggled to contain the dockers.

It was a bad follow up to their 1-0 victory against Gor Mahia last weekend, and a bad way to prepare for their tricky clash against resurgent Kariobangi Sharks on Tuesday.

Anthony Wambani scored the all-important goal in the 36th minute of the game. Goalkeeper Wilson Oburu had lifted the ball onto his team’s half, and Bandari’s Andrew Juma lost his footing as he tried to cut the ball, allowing Jacob Keli tee up Wambani to send into the empty net.

Mathare goalkeeper Levis Opiyo was standing way out of his line, although assistant coach Salim Ali spared him criticism in his post-match interview.

“It is our strategy. When you attack the way we were in the first half, you are bound to make mistakes. There’s nothing wrong with the goalkeeper," he said.

“We had a lapse in defence early in the game and I tried to get the boys to create chances afterwards but that wasn’t forthcoming.”

Mathare have only won once of their four home matches this term.

Sony were without George Abege, who is out with injury, but has been very instrumental in the team since he joined from Bandari. Elly Asieche, Pascal Ogweno and Bolton Omwenga created several good chances for Sharks in the match, although the sugar millers tried to push back through Amos Asembeka.

It is however Ogweno who came through with the game’s first goal, a 22nd minute opener that set the tone for the new comers.

Asieche had a ferocious shot which goalkeeper Kevin Omondi had palmed it out for a corner. Omwenga's corner was then half-cleared before Ogweno pounced on the loose ball to slot home the opener.

Second half substitute Ovella Ochieng doubled their lead in the 83rd minute, capitalising on a defensive blunder from Bernard Omondi to put the game beyond the visitors’ reach.