Kariobangi Sharks extended their recent winless streak in the Football Kenya Federation Premier League to four matches after coming from a goal down to hold FC Talanta to 1-1 draw at Kasarani Annex.Sharks were seeking to get back to winning ways after losing twice and sharing spoils in the last three games. However, their bid to wrap the year with a win didn’t come to pass, instead, they had to come from a goal down for a point.The two teams appreciated the point gained although Talanta boss Ken Kenyatta blamed the dropped two points on the management for watching the players boycott training.”Iam glad that at least we salvaged something from the game. We had not trained for the match at all and the management is better placed to explain why the players did not show up in training,” he said.His Sharks counterpart William Muluya who appeared unbothered with the recent run praised the team for labouring for the point. “I am happy with the way we played especially in the second half. We managed to come from a goal down and the point is a much welcome result,” he said.Michael Bodo returned to punish his former employer after he gave Talanta the lead in the 70th minute but Felix Oluoch ensured that Sharks do not bow to the debutants as he netted the equalizer five minutes later.Before Zachariah Ashira got the proceedings underway, Muluya made changes in his central defence pairing the youthful duo of Tom Teka and Alphonce Omija following the absence of Samuel Olwande and Geoffrey Shiveka. The two defenders alongside John Otieno who was standing in between the sticks were thrown into action early in the game as Talanta forwards raided their area in search of early goals. Otieno denied Talanta from grabbing the lead in the third minute after he rose high to tip Francis Kahiro’s long range effort for a unsuccessful corner. Sharks recovered from the shaky start and sliced into Talanta’s dominance and at the same time tried to break the rock solid wall mounted under the stewardship of Nicodemus Malika. The two teams rattled in each other in search for the opening goal with Talanta opting to goa for long balls while Sharks stuck to their trademark style of play. Sharks forward Felix Oluoch nearly threw his side on the lead in the dying seconds of the match after he leaped to head in Douglas Mokaya’s freekick but the ball swayed off the target with James Omusinde well beaten. Second half Having watched his charges fail to make any meaningful goal threat in the first half, Muluya introduced Fortune Omoto for Eric Mmata in a change that was meant to inject creativity in the final third. A minute into the half, Otieno blocked Talanta from taking the lead as he made a finger tip save after Alvin ‘Chicha’ Ochieng volleyed the ball inches off the box. Sharks were forced to a unwanted substitution in the 59th minute when John Omondi went down unchallenged and was replaced by Frédéric Alushula. Two minutes later, Gershon Likono’s hard drilled shot stung Omondi’s palms for a corner as Talanta pushed for the opening goal. Kenyatta made his first change in the 68th minute introducing the duo of Edwin Lavatsa and Enock Momanyi for Likono and Michael Jairo respectively. Two minutes after throwing the fresh legs on the pitch, Talanta took the lead through Michael Bodo who curled the ball to the bottom corner after the Sharks defence failed to clear an aerial ball that flew up off Lavatsa’s legs. Sharks would level the scores five minutes later through Oluoch who tapped the ball into an empty net after Alushula who had been picked by Fortune Omoto’s defense splitting pass laid the ball in his way. Kariobangi Sharks XI: John Otieno, John Omondi, Tom Teka, Alphonce Omija, Julius Masaba, Geoffrey Onyango, Patilah Omoto, Douglas Mokaya, Eric Mmata, Felix Oluoch, Patrick OtienoSubstitutes: Brian Olang’o, Frédéric Alushula, Issa Lumumba, Enock Wanyama, Keith Imbali, Henry Juma, Fortune Omoto Head coach: William Muluya FC Talanta XI: James Omusinde, Shela Mandela, Eric Lusala, Nicodemus Malika, Alvin Ochieng, Michael Bodo, Maurice Dukully, Michael Jairo, Francis Kahiro, Kevintom Machika, Gershon LikonoSubstitutes: Kevin Olang’o, Eugene Ambulwa, Brian Yakhama, Enock Momanyi , Edwin Lavatsa, Castro OgendoHead coach: Ken Kenyatta
