City Stars' woes deepen as Sofapaka cruise to victory in Dandora

Nairobi City Stars' troubles dragged on as they suffered a 2-0 defeat to Sofapaka in a Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKFPL) match at Dandora Stadium on Friday afternoon.

Starting the match at the foot of the table, Salim Babu's side struggled to match Sofapaka's intensity, conceding soft goals and missing key chances before their faint comeback hopes were crushed by a red card to goalkeeper Elvis Ochoro in the second half.

Sofapaka took the lead in the 14th minute through Jack Ong'anya, who latched onto a neat layoff from Lloyd Khavuchi before firing into the roof of the net.

City Stars, desperate to respond, wasted their best opportunities, with striker Kelvin Etemesi missing a one-on-one chance, shooting straight at debutant goalkeeper Edward Olak. The Sofapaka keeper was exceptional throughout, pulling off a crucial reflex save to deny Etemesi again just before halftime.

Despite hopes of a City Stars resurgence in the second half, Olak stood firm, denying Etemesi once more. The turning point came in the 66th minute when Ochoro handled the ball outside the box while attempting to stop Bramwel Simiyu, earning himself a straight red card.

Substitute goalkeeper Edwin Mukolwe managed to keep out Matthews Malisau's resulting freekick, but the numerical disadvantage left City Stars vulnerable.

Sofapaka sealed the win in the final minute of stoppage time when Baron Ochieng floated a cross from a corner, allowing Simiyu to head into an empty net after Mukolwe misjudged his aerial challenge.

The win lifts Sofapaka to sixth on the table, while City Stars remain anchored at the bottom, with their survival hopes growing slimmer by the week.

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