Vihiga United 0-4 Tusker: Emphatic Brewers go top

Tusker climbed to the top of the Football Kenya Federation Premier League table with a 4-0 victory over Vihiga United on Sunday at Mumias Sports Complex.

Henry Meja, Chris Ochieng, Kelvin Okoth and Rodgers Aloro scored the goals that saw the Brewers return to winning ways in emphatic style.

Tusker needed just five minutes to break the deadlock when Meja received a ball from Aloro and fired past the home side goalkeeper Mustapha Oduor with a first-time shot. The youngster would have made it 2-0 when he rose high to receive a corner delivered by his elder brother Sammy Meja but his header flew wide in the 15th minute.

Vihiga United almost conceded again when Boniface Muchiri and Meja made an ambitious forward move but the hosts' defence cleared the final shot delivered by the former in the 21st minute. Ochieng finally added the second in the 38th minute when Vihiga United failed to defend themselves from a set-piece, giving the scorer enough space to find the back of the net.

The Vihiga club had their first most open chance in the 44th minute but Humphrey Mieno did well to block them just outside the box for a corner that the hosts failed to score from. Two chances from Lawrence Luvanda were capably dealt with by Tusker goalkeeper Robert Mboya in the 50th minute as Vihiga United looked more stable in the opening instances of the second half. 

However, the Brewers stretched the lead when Ochieng scored a goal that would surely be a contestant for the goal of the season in the 50th minute. He collected the ball, took slight control with his right foot before he volleyed it into the net to stun Vihiga United. They could have scored the fourth but Eugene Asike's header, from Muchiri's cross, hit the woodwork three minutes after the hour mark.

Meja did well to deny Vihiga United's Dennis Wafula with a timely goal clearance in the 70th minute. Wafula could have scored in the 72nd minute when they took a short corner to outwit Tusker but his shot went out from an almost empty goal-mouth.

A dominant Tusker could have earned a fourth goal in the 88th minute but, after a combination between Namanda and Chris Onyango, the former was denied by Oduor. The visitors retreated and launched another attack that saw them pick up the fourth goal in the 89th minute from Aloro.

Vihiga United XI : Mustapha Oduor, Dennis Ombeva, Prince Ayieko, Sammy Sindani, Mark Okola, Stewart Omondi, Lawrence Luvanda, Isaac Otieno, Kelvin Omondi, Isaac Otieno, Lesley Otieno.

Subs : Morgan Ambuka, Norman Werunga, Absalom Onyango, Michael Isabwa, Patrick Onganya, Erick Opiyo, Dennis Monda, Hillary Otieno, Dennis Simiyu.

Tusker XI : Michael Wanjala, Kevin Monyi, Sammy Meja, Rodgers Aloro, Eugene Asike, Faraj Odeny, Boniface Muchiri, Humphrey Mieno, Kevin Okoth, Christopher Ochieng.

Subs : Robert Mboya, Wellington Ochieng, Christopher Oruchum, Apollo Otieno, Jackon Macharia, Chrispinus Onyango, Martin Brian, Luke Namanda.