Tusker brewers halted a five-match losing skid with a convincing 3-1 win over 10-man Kariobangi Sharks in a SportPesa Premier League match at Ruaraka grounds on Wednesday.
There goes the final whistle.
— Tusker FC (@TuskerFC_club) March 27, 2019
Beautiful afternoon from Ruaraka as we take 3 points from @k_sharksfc . Well done lads.#TUSHARK pic.twitter.com/GBOYkeGndS
Stand-in skipper Timothy Otieno bagged a first half brace before Boniface Muchiri stretched the lead on 59 minutes. Substitute Sydney Lokale converted a penalty for the visitor’s consolation 15 minutes to time.
Sharks were reduced to 10 men on 89 minutes after Michael Bodo was sent off for a second bookable offence.
Muchiri’s goal 😎 #TUSHARK pic.twitter.com/GKJQWyssFP
— Tusker FC (@TuskerFC_club) March 27, 2019
Otieno opened the scoring on 17 minutes with a fierce low drive that Sharks goalkeeper John Oyemba fumbled to stop before the ball rolled past his arms into the bottom corner.
The former Gor Mahia man completed his brace on 32 minutes with a fine finish from close range after Boniface Muchiri found him with a delightful cross from the left flank.
The build-up to the goal is what left a handful of fans at the stadium on their feet in applause, Muchiri controlled Justin Omar’s long pass from defence, initiated a one-two with Jackson Macharia before the latter squeezed back for the winger to float in a first time cross that left Otieno with one option – turning home for his second goal of the day.
82| Our fans at the moment 😎#TFC #TUSHARK pic.twitter.com/xjKwTDqJ6B
— Tusker FC (@TuskerFC_club) March 27, 2019
Sharks had been forced to an early substitution a minute before after Harrison Mwendwa hobbled off the pitch after a Sydney Ochieng challenge. Sydney Lokale, fresh from featuring for the Kenya U23 against Sudan on Tuesday in the 2019 Africa U23 Cup of Nations, replaced him.
Muchiri stole the show on 59 minutes with a third goal when he scored from Kevin Omondi’s cross with a well-timed header that bounced off the ground, giving Oyemba no chance.
Lokale reduced the deficit on 75 minutes from the spot after Eric Ambunya handled a shot from Erick Kapaito inside the area. A minute later, Tusker coach Robert Matano pulled out Omondi, who had replaced Sydney Ochieng on 53 minutes, for Peter Nzuki. Timothy Otieno handed the armband to Nzuki, who is set to be the club club following the exit of Ugandan midfielder Hashim Sempala to Gor Mahia.
Muchiri had the opportunity to make it 4-1 with eight minutes to go but his clever chip from 20 yards missed the target by a whisker.