A lethargic AFC Leopards sleepwalked to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Ulinzi Stars who invoked memories of their previous glory days with a glossed performance at the Thika Sub County Stadium on Friday 29 October.A goal in either half from Brian Birgen and Hillary Simiyu were enough to see Ulinzi Stars go top of the Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKFPL) a point above the chasing pack.Ulinzi Stars were on the ascendency from the onset with their first chance of coming coming after 11 minutes when the experienced Birgen floated in a cross that was headed by Omar Borafya but his feeble shot was comfortably dealt with by Maxwell Mulili in goal.##NAJAVA_MECA_5938165##Ingwe grew into the game and stringed a number of intricate passes that wowed the handful of fans gathered at the Thika Sub County Stadium as Saad Musa’s audacious attempt from outside the box narrowly cleared the bar in the 14th minute.The Soldiers knocked on Ulinzi’s door in the 22nd minute when Clinton Omondi delivered a corner that was headed in goal by Borafya but Isaac Kipyegon reacted quickly to clear the ball off the line.With AFC Leopards seemingly getting a foothold of the game, Ulinzi Stars broke the deadlock in the 42nd minute out of nothing when Birgen’s speculative shot found the back of the net when Mulili displayed inexperience as he failed to gather as he anticipated the ball would go out as Ulinzi went into the break leading 1-0.📷 | MATCH ACTION AFC Leopards 0 Ulinzi Stars FC 2#AFCVsUlinzi #FKFPL pic.twitter.com/zDII3XgWeK— FKF Premier League (@Officialfkfpl) October 29, 2021 Ulinzi Stars picked up from where they picked from in the first half as they doubled their lead in the 57th minute when Masita Masuta squared the ball for Simiyu who took a touch before finishing with aplomb for his first goal since joining from Nzoia Sugar at the start of the season.Stephen Ocholla three in Oscar Wamalwa for the ineffective Masuta in the 65th minute with the substitute almost paying dividends immediately when Clinton Omondi selected him with a pin point cross but his acrobatic effort found the side netting.AFC Leopards were saved from an embarrassing defeat when the referee overlooked a foul from Maxwell Mulili who brought down Hillary Simiyu as he aimed to atone for his error when he came off his lines early in the 76th minute.Ulinzi Stars ran down the clock by sitting deep and aiming to hit in the counter as AFC Leopards tried to salvage something from the game but to no avail as the Soldiers held on for the 2-0 victory.This is the first time that @UlinziStarsFC is scoring consecutively in their first four matches in over a decade. Since 2009.Recce Squad.#UlinziStars #FKFPL pic.twitter.com/q4QVNol5vn— OptaKe (@ke_opta) October 29, 2021 AFC Leopards head coach Patrick Aussems lamented his lack of an out and out forward and asked the the management to lift the transfer ban.”I said before the game that we will try to score but we don’t have strikers, we were undone by individual errors and we do not have someone to score, It would have been easier to be 0-0 at half time but it was not easy, Maxwell is doing his job but we cannot continue depending on youngsters,” said Aussems.Ulinzi Stars head coach Stephen Ocholla waxed lyrical of his defense that has been sturdy this season and also commended his forward line.”Our defenders are going a commendable job everyone is showing that they need to play, we have so far conceded just one goal so far. Our forwards will get goals because we create and despite Simiyu scoring I don’t want to focus on one play I know more goals will come from everyone,” said Ocholla.AFC Leopards XI: Maxwell Mulili, Lewis Esambe, Washington Munene, Zakari Njita (Robert Mudenyu 51′), Isaac Kipyegon, Dan Musamali (Eugene Mukangula 63′), Peter Thiong’o (Boniface Mukhekhe 63′), Brian Wanyama, Maxwell Otieno, Asaad Abdallah, Marvin Omondi (Dan Sunguti 70′).Subs: Sayyed Moendi, Omar Somobwana, Collins Shivachi, Giovanni Lukhumwa, Erick Mbithi.Ulinzi Stars XI: James Saruni, Brian Birgen, Haron Mwale, Bonventure Muchika, Kelvin Ouma, Bernard Ongoma, Clinton Omondi, Ibrahim Shambi (John Kago 46′), Omar Borafya (Tindi Biko 83′), Masita Masuta (Oscar Wamalwa 65′), Hillary Simiyu (Enosh Ochieng 89′).Subs: Stephen Ochieng, Peter Wafula, Ezekiel Nyati, Dab Waweru, Mark Bikokwa.
