Four-Star Sofapaka Thrash Mathare To Climb Into SPL Top 3
12th February 2019
Kevin Kimani pulled a goal back for the Slum boys but Kasumba had the final say with a stunning strike at the death to seal all three points
- An exquisite first half display from the 2009 champions cemented the three points and condemned the league leaders to a second defeat in four matches
- Mathare came into the fixture on the back of three league games without a win but still hanging on to the SPL top spot with 25 points, three ahead of their closest challengers Gor Mahia FC
- In the 70th, Mathare got a goal back through Kimani as he did extremely well to skip past Faina and hit a hard low shot past Ndikumana in the Sofapaka goal
- In the 90th, Sofapaka finished it up with a fantastic goal from Kasumba to seal his brace and all three points for Baraza’s charges
NAIROBI, Kenya- Sofapaka FC climbed into third place on the SportPesa Premier League (SPL) table after humiliating Mathare United FC 4-1 at the Kasarani Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.
An exquisite first half display from the 2009 champions cemented the three points and condemned the league leaders to a second defeat in four matches.
Former Kariobangi Sharks FC player Elli Asieche got Sofapaka off to a great start with a second minute strike before a Hillary Achesa free kick and Umaru Kasumba made it three at halftime.
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Kevin Kimani pulled a goal back for the Slum boys but Kasumba had the final say with a stunning strike at the death to seal all three points.
Mathare came into the fixture on the back of three league games without a win but still hanging on to the SPL top spot with 25 points, three ahead of their closest challengers Gor Mahia FC.
Asieche drew first blood with a rifled right-footed shot that crept into the near post, leaving Mathare goalkeeper Alan Owiny flat-footed for an early 1-0 lead in the second minute of the game.
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Mathare seemed not to have gotten into the game and Batoto Ba Mungu almost doubled their advantage nine minutes later but John Avires effort went slightly wide of the goal.
Mathare got a first sight on goal with a Kevin Kimani free kick in the 24th but Ndikumana did well to make a fine save.
Seven minutes later, Sofapaka got a free kick in a promising position and they made it count as left back Achesa made it 2-0 from a deflected strike.
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Batoto Ba Mungu continued to dominate proceedings and were forced to make the first change of the game bringing off the injured goalscorer Asieche to replace him with Ibrahim Kitawi.
Ahmad Ahmed, who was making his first start of the season following an injury to club top scorer Cliff Nyakeya, squandered a great chance to get a goal back for the league leaders but sent his shot agonisingly over the bar.
Mathare were made to pay for that as Sofapaka got a third from a well worked free kick that Owiny parried, allowing Umaru Kasumba to pounce and finish.
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The referee blew for the end of an enthralling first half with Francis Kimanzi’s charges looking to be heading for a fourth straight game without a win.
The Slum boys got the second half underway and another Kimani free kick in the 46th looked to be a way back into the game but didn’t do much to trouble the keeper.
In the 57th, it was Ahmed this time who opted to take the free kick from more or less the same position as the earlier one and he struck it well but it was straight at the Sofapaka goalkeeper.
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Chances became rare in the game as Sofapaka seemed to have settled for the three goals and opted to defend throughout the rest of the encounter.
In the 70th, Mathare got a goal back through Kimani as he did extremely well to skip past Faina and hit a hard low shot past Ndikumana in the Sofapaka goal.
Two minutes later, Alphonce Ndonye came on in place for James Kinyanjui as Kimanzi thought there could be a way back into the game.
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Baraza responded similarly bringing on former Ulinzi Stars forward Stephen Waruru for Cornelius Juma.
Mathare looked to have gotten their groove back and Ronald Reagan almost made it 3-2 in the 74th but his effort beat the keeper and landed on the roof of the net.
Avire received insults from the Sofapaka fans in the stands despite the commanding lead after he wasted a one on one opportunity in the 77th, a chance that would have killed off the game.
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The Slum boys kept pressing, looking for another goal but it seemed too far gone and a wasted effort by Ndonye in the 84th seemed to sum up their afternoon.
In the 90th, Sofapaka finished it up with a fantastic goal from Kasumba to seal his brace and all three points for Baraza’s charges.