Joshua Ibrahim’s hattrick handed Football Kenya Federation Premier League(FKFPL) champions Tusker FC a much-needed 4-1 victory over relegation facing Mathare United in an FKPL match hosted at the brewers’ Ruaraka Grounds on Thursday afternoon.FULL TIME at the Ruaraka Complex. Full shangwe! pic.twitter.com/JG5b1BWzoK— 🏆Tusker FC (@tusker_fc) December 30, 2021 “I had not scored in about five matches to the point I had started questioning my purpose in the team. The three goals today are a big motivation for me to continue scoring for my side as this is the reason I’m in the team and if we keep scoring, we keep winning,” said Ibrahim who had a rather interesting celebration to all his goals, announcing his soon-to-be-dad status.Tusker shot an early warning with John Njuguna’s cross from the right flank easily handled by the Mathare shot stopper Byrne Omondi in the first minute of action. Mathare went on the attack, keeping the ball on the brewer’s half and two minutes later, their efforts paid off as Clifford Alwanga, feeding off a Kennedy Ochieng cross, shot past Patrick Matasi for the slum boys to lead 0-1. Two minutes later, Ibrahim was brought down in the box as the hosts searched for an equaliser and the centre referee pointed to the spot handing Matano’s men a chance to make things even. The burly Tanzanian striker made no mistake as he stepped forward to take the penalty, slotting his shot low, slightly to to the left of the goalkeeper who had elected to go right, for the equaliser. Game on! A back and forth ensued with none threatening the opposition’s goal until the dimunitive Lawrence Luvanda’s attitude at goal in the 20th minute, safely collected by Omondi, opened a series of attacks that bore Tusker’s second and Ibrahim’s brace in the 26th minute. Ibrahim picked the ball outside box, from a Rodgers Ouma- pass, eating into the open space into the box and release a thunderbolt from the left to the top right of the net, handing Tusker the lead. ##EDITORS_CHOICE##Daniel Otieno had a chance, infront of goal, to equal the score in the 35th minute after a Danson Kago-low cross from the right. The forward’s timing, however, failed him as he missed what would have been an easy tap in to level matters. The match headed for the break with the champions holding the slight advantage. Second half Matano made one change, bringing in youngster Stewart Omondi for Deogratious Ojok. The hosts wasted no time in attacking the Mathare goal, as Ibrahim came close to making it a hattrick and giving the brewers a two-goal advantage in the 47th minute but Omondi saved the day. Two minutes later, it was the slum boys on the hunt, catching the Tusker defence flat-footed on a counter attack. Otieno, under pressure from Chris Orichum and with Matasi having left his line, shot his chance over the bar. After about twenty minutes of a not-so-quiet duel between the two sides, Tusker pitched tent on the Mathare half and made it 3-1 in the 73rd minute, Ibrahim at it again for his second.He would have made it three goals in the 60th minute but his chip over the goalkeeper, who had come off his line but could not get to the ball in time, went wide. For his and the team’s third, he made no mistake as Njuguna played him on inside the box for the goal. Defender, Eugene Asike, added to Mathare’s misery in the 78th minute with a header past Omondi who had at this point done enough to prevent Akwana’s charges from soaking in more goals. Nguguna, was again involved in the fourth goal with a cross from the right flank that found Asike for goal. “We had a good game. Coming from a loss we needed a good performance and that’s what the team did. It is a good confidence boost for the the team to pick this win too. We had a difficult start of the season and I am happy we finished the year on a high. We will be banking on this form come the new year,” offered skipper Asike.
