Charles Nyende And Francis Mureithi
4 October 2008
Nairobi — The race for the Kenyan Premier League took an interesting turn on Saturday. Mathare United held on to their lead, but only by a one goal difference, after they were held to a barren draw by KCB while second-placed Sony Sugar blanked Thika United 2-0 to level their points with the league leaders to 49.
At the other end, basement club Mathare Youth received another body blow when they fell 0-1 to Sher Karuturi in Naivasha and Ulinzi continued to ride their new found wave of form with another win.
Sony produced two well-worked goals in either half to down Thika United in a Kenyan Premier League match at Nyayo Stadium.
Cat and mouse game
The impressive Marwa Chamberi headed in the first in the 38th minute before Dennis Onkangi put the results beyond doubt for Sony who notched their second consecutive 2-0 result.
Sony played at a sedate and controlled pace but when they made the decisive moves Thika United had no answer.
"The boys played according to my instructions. It is now a cat and mouse game between us and Mathare United. We are concentrating on our matches. If you lose a game you are in trouble," Sony Sugar coach Francis Baraza said after the match.
Sony started the more enterprising side, Tom Ochieng failing to direct Noah Abich's cross in the 20th minute. Chamberi, who constantly teased the Thika United defence, got on the end of a through ball but could only sight his shot wide off the near post as Sony continued to press.
But it was Thika United, playing in their brand new, made in Italy Legea kit, who created the best chance of the quarter when Joseph Mwangi danced his way into enemy territory to release James Omondi.
But the big forward shot feebly to the grateful Zacharia Onyonga in the Sony goal.
Nicholas Muyoti's drive from just outside the area after a good combination with Omondi seemed to have beaten the keeper but was agonising wide on 23 minutes.
Sony then showed why the are one of the front runners in the league with a clinical end-to-end move that broke the deadlock.
The ball was crossed from the right to Fred Ajwang on the left who guided it first-touch to Chamber to nod home in the 38th minute.
The lead was nearly cancelled in the 41st minute when Onyango was left hopelessly stranded after failing to collect a high ball he had rushed for but Dennis Omino's delicate lob went inches over.
Sony resumed the more assured side and it was more a matter of when they would get their second.
It duly came from a swiping move that located Tom Ochieng unmarked on the edge of the match to pick Onkangi in the six meter for an emphatic finish.
The pressure was back on Mathare who played in the second match of the day at Nyayo Stadium.
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