Ulinzi Stars edge Chemelil, Bandari top Bandari in KPL ties

John Makwata bagged a hat-trick as Ulinzi Stars beat Chemelil Sugar 3-2 in a Kenyan Premier League match at the Moi Stadium in Kisumu on Saturday.

At the Mombasa County Stadium, Bandari joined the top five league teams after beating Nairobi City Stars 2-1 in a match marred with controversial refereeing decisions.

Anthony Kimani put Bandari in the lead in the 34th minute, but City Stars’ Gambian striker Ebrima Sanneh equalised for the Kwangware-based side with a well-placed header 15 minutes later.

Stars’ defender Yusuf Suf was sent off in the 76th minute after earning his second yellow card, and David King'atua scored a nice free kick in the 82nd minute to bury the game and hand the dockers full points.

In Kisumu, home team Chemelil Sugar broke the deadlock only seven minutes into the match when striker Meshack Karani lashed on Hamisi Mwinyi’s cross from the edge of the box.

Three minutes later, John Makwatta came close to equalising for Ulinzi, but his shot went wide.

POWERFUL SHOT

There was drama in the 15th minute when Chemelil defenders James Omino and Jonathan Mwaniki were involved in a bitter exchange of words, with the latter seemingly accusing his team-mate for poor defending.

The match took a dramatic turn eight minutes later when Omino brought down Ezekiel Otuoma in the box, and referee Amos Wanjala gifted Ulinzi a penalty.

Makwatta converted the resultant spot kick by sending a powerful shot to the top right corner with goalkeeper Jairus Adira well beaten.

The match took a water break in the in the 37th minute just seconds after Makwatta went down in pain after being accosted by Omino.

After the break, Chemelil coach Hillary Ouma rested Mwinyi and introduced Alloyce Mangi but the decision proved costly for his team.

In the 50th minute John Nairuka beat Mwaniki to deliver a pin-point to Makwatta whose shot from six metres was saved by Adira.

However, in the 65th minute Makwatta found the back of the net after dribbling past defender Samuel Olwande to send a powerful left footed shot to the top left corner.

The award winning striker wasn’t finished yet, and he completed his hat trick in the in the 70th minute with his shot hitting the right upright post before crawling to the back of the net.