Kenya: Mathare United Rout Visiting Bandari to Go Ninth

Nairobi Star (Nairobi)

Francis Wadegu

23 June 2011

Mathare United produced a vintage performance to thrash relegation threatened Bandari 3-0 at Nairobi City Stadium yesterday. The feat saw move away from relegation zone, which they had occupied in their previous two matches. Perhaps stung with the short stint they had stayed in the dreaded zone, Mathare were never going to give Bandari the opportunity to overtake them and drag them back into the mire and tormented their visitors from the whistle. As usual, the game revolved around winger Kevin Kimani as Mathare ran down the Bandari defence.

Salim Ali’s side took the lead in the 15th minute when Dennis Nzomo’s was upended in the box and Kimani stepped up to thump the ball past Wycliffe Kasaya in Bandari’s goal.

You would have expected the floodgates to open against the hapless coast side but credit to them-they stuck toe to toe with Mathare-and even threatened a rare equaliser through Abdulwahab Musa but Joseph Ruto was alert and saved the effort as the half came to a close.

The second half was still the same story with Mathare still dominating and Bandari just hanging in there. Innocent Mutiso could have extended Mathare’s lead in the 64th minute when he found himself with space in the box but hesitated and Bandari cleared their lines.

Soon after the second goal came and killed the match, Nzomo reacted first to a lose ball to beat Kasaya with a precise shot

With frustration boiling inside him. Kasaya the flamboyant former Red Berets keeper was given his marching orders in the 82nd minute for a professional foul that led to another penalty, which Kimani scored past reserve keeper Franklin Machisu.The win pushed Mathare into 9th place with 17 points same as Karuturi Sports and Sofapaka who were due to race Thika United at Nyayo Stadium last night. Bandari remain second from bottom, a point better than basement side Nairobi City Stars.

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