Poor officiating rocks Kenyan football as Robert Matano cry foul despite 4-1 win against City Stars
Tusker FC head Coach Robert Matano has once again hit out on poor officiating despite his side thrashing youthful Nairobi City Stars 4-1 at the Ruaraka grounds in Nairobi.
Tusker who following the three points have maintained their one hundred percent record in the season were forced to sweat for the win as they came from a goal down having conceded early.
Matano hailed his charges for the win but called on the referees to improve in their officiating, saying Nyabera denied them two clear goals.
“The referee frustrated us very much. He denied us a goal and a clear penalty but we were determined to win the game,” said the veteran tactician.
City Stars coach Nicholas Muyoti said they were poor at the back and in creating chances.
“We have a lot of work to do before our next match. Defensively, we were very poor and we did not create many opportunities,” said the former Kenyan international.
Samuel Kapen broke the deadlock barely three minutes into the game after rising high to head home a corner kick floated in by Herit Mungai.
The goal saw the former Kibera Black Stars forward open his goal account in the top flight and the first for City Stars this season having lost the league opener 2-0 to Bidco United.
Tusker thought they would draw level immediately after Lawrence Luvanda was fouled inside the box but the center referee Libese Nyabera declined their incessant calls for a penalty.
But even before the Brewers’ bench and supporters ended their protests over Nyabera’s call, Ojok tapped in the equaliser.
Shaphan Siwa thought he had doubled the hosts advantage with a 25th minute header but Nyabera cancelled the goal citing an infringement – another call that was vehemently protested by Tusker.
Ojok bagged his second on 39 minutes with another easy finish from Luvanda’s assist. Earlier, Tusker’s goalkeeper Patrick Matasi made a brilliant save at the other end to deny Kapen.
With Tusker still the best team in the second-half, the Ugandan forward completed his hat-trick one minute to the hour-mark, before substitute Jackson Macharia sealed the host’s resounding victory with a strike at the stroke of normal time.
At Moi International Sports Centre (MISC) Kasarani Annex, Kariobangi Sharks registered their first win of the season with a 3-2 romp over former champions Ulinzi Stars. Visitors Kakamega Homeboyz defeated KCB by a solitary goal at the same venue later in the evening.
Boniface Muchiri put Ulinzi ahead in the 31st minute but Kevin Musamali, Fortune Omoto and Tyson Otieno scored a goal apiece in the final 10 minutes of the first-half to see Sharks go for the breather on top.
While Hillary Simiyu reduced the deficit further for the soldiers in the 71st minute, they were unable to snatch a draw. Ulinzi fell 0-2 to AFC Leopards in their season’s opener last weekend.
Levis Okello’s strike one minute into the second-half is all Homeboyz needed to see off the Bankers and bounce back to winning ways. KCB defeated Kenya Police by the same margin last weekend.
