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Kenya: Five Key Matches That Won Tusker FKF-Pl Title

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4 years ago

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Tusker were on Sunday crowned the 2020/21 Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKF-PL) champions, bringing to a halt Gor Mahia’s dominance in the competition.

The brewers beat newcomers Bidco United 2-1 at Utalii Grounds in Nairobi to lift the title on 65 points.

KCB, despite thumping Nairobi City Stars 3-0 at Narok Stadium, could only manage a second-place finish on 62 points. Bandari finished third on 53 points.

Here, Nation Sport looks at some of the five matches that helped Tusker clinch their 12th league title.

Nzoia Sugar 0-0 Tusker (Sudi Stadium)

With AFC Leopards holding KCB to a 1-1 draw at Thika Stadium in Kiambu on August 8, Tusker were champions in waiting following their barren draw with Nzoia at Sudi Stadium in Bungoma on the same day.

Apart from topping the standings on 62 points, three above KCB from 31 matches, the brewers were also enjoying a healthy seven-goal advantage over the bankers. There is no doubt KCB needed a miracle in their last match of the season against Nairobi City Stars to overturn Tusker’s huge goal advantage.

KCB’s hopes of snatching the title from Tusker were also complicated by the fact that the brewers still had a match against Bidco United.

Tusker did not take chances as they beat Bidco 2-1 at Utalii Grounds to finish the season on a high while KCB thrashed City Stars 3-0 to affirm their second place finish.

The second place finish is KCB’s best ever performance in the top flight league.

Tusker 2-2 KCB (Thika Stadium)

Tusker and KCB had for the better part of the 2020/21 Football Kenya Federation Premier League season been displacing each other from the top position.

Their second leg meeting in the 24th round of the competition on July 11 was therefore crucial on who between the two would lift the title. In the match staged at Thika Stadium, KCB took an early 2-0 lead over Tusker thanks to Derrick Otanga’s brace.

Tusker’s coach Robert Matano then made early substitutions, bringing in experienced Humphrey Mieno and Jackson Macharia.

The two helped salvage a point for Tusker in the match, as Mieno scored and assisted Macharia to the equaliser deep in the second half. Then, Matano described his side’s comeback as “… the character of a champion.”

The draw saw Tusker take their points tally at the top to 51, four above KCB.

Tusker 2-0 AFC Leopards (Thika Stadium)

AFC Leopards was one of the tough tests for Tusker in the title race with less than 10 matches to go.

Even with the two teams then missing several key players, the clash staged at Thika Stadium on July 16 was expected to be tough, as Tusker were out avenge their 2-1 loss in the first leg and to cement their lead.

On the other hand, Leopards who were lying third were seeking to revive their title hopes with a double over Tusker.

But Tusker dominated the match with Chris Ochieng scoring the brace, which sank Leopards in the tough clash.

The win then saw brewers maintain their lead on 54 points, six above KCB who were held to a 1-1 draw by Wazito that same weekend.

Tusker 2-1 Gor Mahia (Ruaraka Grounds)

Clashes between Gor and Tusker have always been explosive, as the two teams who boast of having some of the top players in the league fight for bragging rights.

It was not different on July 8 at Ruaraka Grounds in Nairobi, with Tusker rallying from behind to beat the 19-time champions 2-1. Eugene Asike scored a controversial goal at the death to help the brewers claim victory in the match.

The goal raised eyebrows as it resulted from a corner which should have been a goal kick. Tito Okello had put K’Ogalo ahead early in the first half but Boniface Muchiri equalised with a well-taken freekick in the second half.