Mathare United 3-2 Nzoia Sugar: Slum Boys sustain pressure in five goal thriller

Mathare United managed to see off visiting Nzoia Sugar 3-2 in a Kenyan Premier League (KPL) match played on Wednesday.

A brace from Clifford Alwanga and another strike via Kelvin Kimani handed Mathare United the win while Vincent Ngesa and Kelvin Juma scored Nzoia Sugar’s two goals.

Winger Kimani scored Mathare United’s opener in the 3rd minute after he connected with Chrispin Oduor’s cross from the right flank. Cliff Nyakeya was also involved quite a lot in the buildup from the midfield before Kimani slotted the ball past Humphrey Katasi in Nzoia's goal.

Parity was restored at Kasarani after eleven minutes of play as Vincent Ngesa beat Allan Owiny with a close-range shot. Gabriel Wandera did quite a good job as he sprayed the ball into Ngesa’s path and the latter did not disappoint either.

The Sugar Millers could not hold their nerves enough and were trailing again just five minutes after they got the equalizing goal. Alwanga swept the ball into the net beating a diving Katasi in the 16th minute. Nyakeya assisted in the creation of the second goal and that showed how important he was for the home side.

A chance for Mathare United went to waste in the 42nd minute as Kimani's header veered off target even after finding himself unmarked inside Nzoia’s box.

The visitors didn't convert their better opportunities with Jackson Duang and Hansel Ochieng the culpable players. They squandered these chances in the 30th and 44th minutes respectively.

Alwanga grabbed his brace in the 66th minute with a diving header that Katasi could not prevent from hitting at the back of the net. David Owino delivered quite a clinical cross into the area that Alwanga met with good timing and scored Mathare United’s third.

Kelvin Juma pulled a goal back for Nzoia Sugar in the 85th minute after he cruised past Johnstone Omurwa and James Situma. Owiny in Mathare United’s goal could not stop the ball sliding past his arms.

Mathare United managed to end a two-match losing streak with the win at Kasarani while Nzoia Sugar failed to win a third straight match after beating Mount Kenya United and Vihiga United in the previous matches.

This is Mathare United’s fourth win over the Bungoma-based side. Nzoia has never won a match over the Slum Boys since they first met in 2017. They only managed two draws, with a 0-0 scoreline in 2017 and a 2-2 draw in 2018.