Kariobangi Sharks hit All Stars for eight

Kariobangi Sharks thrashed Kisumu All Stars 8-1 in a Kenyan Premier league (KPL) match at the Moi International Sports Centre in Kasarani on Sunday.

The visitors contained early pressure from Sharks in the early minutes and took the lead in the fifth minute through Dismus Amunga, who tapped in Stephen Otieno's cross from the left.

Ugandan Peter Lwasa could have equalised at the quarter hour mark, but his hard shot from the edge of the box hit the upright. Lanky defender John Kuol pounced on a rebound to equalise four minutes later.

John Mazembe was a constant threat to the Otenga back line and he put Sharks ahead in the 25th minute, heading in a Lwasa cross from the right past AllStars custodian Geoffrey Were.

Lwasa, who joined Sharks recently after parting ways with Sofapaka, beat Were with a left footed volley in the 38th minute to make it 3-1 and he tapped in a Daniel Sakari cross five minutes later for a 4-1 lead into the breather.

Julius Masaba replaced the injured Erick Kapaito immediately after half time while Kisumu All Stars brought in Elisha Owino for Martin Oduor.

Patrick Otieno made it 5-1 with a low shot past Were after Lwasa found him with a defence-splitting pass from deep in midfield in the 61st minute.

Samuel Olwande sent Were the wrong way with a goal from the spot after John Mazembe was brought down in the box in the 71st minute, while Patilah Omoto Omoto made it 7-1 with a low drive with four minutes left on the clock.

Patrick Otieno left two defenders for the dead a minute later and chipped in the final goal of the match.

All Stars assistant coach Ambrose Otieno urged his players to work hard in the remaining matches to ensure the team avoids the chop.

"Kariobangi Sharks knows how to keep the ball when they have it and when you don't press them, then you invite trouble and that is what happened today.

My players also lost focus and they really need to pull up their socks if we are to survive relegation," he said after the match.

Sharks coach William Muluya lauded his boys and called on them to maintain consistency.

"I am happy with the performance today. Our biggest problem has been scoring goals and with such a performance I think we are okay now and we just need to replicate such a performance in other matches," he said.

He also lauded Ugandan Peter Lwasa who scored a brace.

"The good performance is all to everyone in the team even the support staff. Lwasa however is a good player and I think he adds something that we did not have in the team before," he said