Simiyu double fires Tusker past Sofapaka to climb to second in FKF Premier League
Ian Simiyu scored twice as Tusker beat Sofapaka 2–0 at Kasarani Annex, moving level on points with FKF Premier League leaders Kenya Police FC and extending their winning run to three matches.
Ian Simiyu struck twice in the second half to guide Tusker FC to a crucial 2–0 victory over Sofapaka at the Kasarani Annex, a result that lifts the Brewers to second place in the FKF Premier League standings.
The win takes Tusker to 21 points, level with leaders Kenya Police FC, who remain top by a slender goal difference of one, further tightening an already congested title race.
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The opening exchanges were evenly contested, with both sides cancelling each other out in midfield. Tusker threatened early through Oslo, whose left-footed effort drifted wide, before good build-up play saw Oalo tee up Fabian for a long-range attempt that also missed the target.
Sofapaka responded with moments of promise from set-pieces and wide deliveries, but failed to seriously test the Tusker backline. The Brewers came closest before the break when Omolle beat his marker, rounded the goalkeeper, and struck the side-netting from a tight angle, leaving the score at 0–0 at half-time.
Gilt-edged chance
Tusker emerged sharper after the restart and began to assert control. Oruko squandered a gilt-edged chance early in the second half after stealing possession inside the box but failing to convert from close range.
The defining moment arrived just past the hour mark when a Tusker free-kick appeared to be headed over the line by Momanyi at the back post, only for the assistant referee to wave play on despite strong protests.
Moments later, Tusker made their pressure count.
Ian Simiyu broke the deadlock with a moment of individual brilliance, driving in from the left and squeezing a low shot between the goalkeeper’s legs from a tight angle to give the Brewers a deserved lead.
Sofapaka pushed forward in search of an equaliser and came close on several occasions, but were undone again by Tusker’s quick transitions. Eric Kapaito won possession on the right flank and cut the ball back into the area, where clever movement created space for Simiyu to arrive unmarked and calmly slot home his second of the afternoon.
The brace sealed the contest and underlined Tusker’s growing confidence. Simiyu was later withdrawn to a standing ovation after sustaining a knock, with Douglas Omanga making his Tusker FC debut.
The result propels Tusker into the title conversation in emphatic fashion, with the Brewers now level on points with Kenya Police FC at the summit, separated only by goal difference. It also extends Tusker’s winning run to three matches, their best sequence of the season.
For Sofapaka, the defeat compounds their struggles at the lower end of the table. Despite periods of encouraging play, defensive lapses and missed chances proved costly once again, leaving Batoto Ba Mungu rooted in the relegation zone.
With momentum firmly on their side, Tusker will now turn their attention to maintaining consistency as the FKF Premier League title race continues to gather pace.
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