Tusker beat Sony Sugar to edge closer to KPL title

Tusker FC Players celebrate during their Sport Pesa Premier League match against Bandari FC at the Mbaraki Sports Club in Mombasa on October 15, 2016. Tusker beat Sony Sugar 1-0 on October 29. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT |

What you need to know:

  • Winger Noah Wafula struck the all-important goal in the 32nd minute to hand his side the vital three points after Sony Sugar’s Amos Asembeka had squandered a penalty awarded 33 seconds into match.

Tusker are 90 minutes away from being crowned 2016 Kenyan Premier League champions after edging out Sony Sugar 1-0 at the Awendo Green Stadium on Saturday.

Winger Noah Wafula struck the all-important goal in the 32nd minute to hand his side the vital three points after Sony Sugar’s Amos Asembeka had squandered a penalty awarded 33 seconds into match.

Shafik Batambuze was adjudged to have elbowed striker Masud Juma in the box but Asembeka failed to take advantage from the spot kick.

The win hauled Tusker’ points tally to 55, opening up a seven-point gap between them and champions Gor Mahia, who have a game on Sunday against Mathare United at the Safaricom Stadium, Kasarani.

With the win, Tusker could be confirmed champions if Mathare United beat Gor or next Sunday in the event that they beat the spluttering AFC Leopards at the Afraha Stadium in Nakuru.

The brewers’ last match on the season will be against K’Ogalo and having done the hard part at Awendo, the brewers are only 90 minutes from bagging their 11th league crown.

At Awendo, Sony dominated with the lion’s share of possession in the early exchanges but could not make it count missing chances in either side of the half.

Mid-way through the second half, Nkata introduced George Mandela and Cersidy Lumumba for Robert Omunuk and Clifford Alwanga respectively, while Sony coach Salim Babu summoned the fresh legs of Morris Oluoch in the place of Marwa Chamberi, but the sugar milers could not find the much sought after equaliser.

At Kasarani, visiting Bandari shocked Posts Rangers 1-0 with Abdullatif Omar striking late in the 85th minute to guarantee the win.

Across town at the Ruaraka grounds, it was an afternoon of disappointment for relegation threatened Ushuru who fluffed chance after chance to settle for a barren draw with Muhoroni Youth.

Elsewhere at the Moi Stadium in Kisumu, Kennedy Otieno scored at the death as Chemelil Sugar held Western Stima 1-1.

David Ojuang put the sugar millers ahead at the half-hour mark but Stima’s resilience paid off with the last attack of the game.