Tusker have thrown the race to the Football Kenya Federation Premier League wide open after moving to within a point of leaders Gor Mahia following their slim 1-0 win over Kenya Police at Nyayo Stadium.The beer makers had Shaphan Siwa to thank as his sole goal in the second half, earned them maximum points as well as revenge as they lost 3-0 to Police in the first leg.##NAJAVA_MECA_7184272##The win, sees the champions move to within a touching distance to Gor who are expected to play Posta Rangers on Sunday 16 April at the same venue.Police head coach Francis Baraza regretted that they gifted Tusker an easy win that complicates their chances of muscling for the title.”We were punished for our mistake. We committed numbers forward only for a long ball to be launched into our area. We were caught off guard, something that also happed in our game against Gor Mahia,” he said.His Tusker counterpart Robert Matano refused to be drawn into the title talk and instead, he urged his players to focus on delivering the three points in their next duel against Wazito.”We are not thinking about winning the league just because we have narrowed the gap. All we want is to concentrate on the next game,” said the veteran gaffer.Tusker showed the hunger for the three points from onset as the number of yellow shirts frequenting the Police area was rife as they sought to inflict pain on them.Aaaaaaaaand BREATHE!!!FULL TIME. FULL SHANGWE. pic.twitter.com/vGF3PBBI66— 🏆Tusker FC (@tusker_fc) April 15, 2023 Erick Otieno was a constant threat to the Police backline as his affinity for aerial balls made the duo of Musa Mohamed and Harun Shakava busy as the full backs were occasionally called into action to help contain the tall forward. Otieno, gave Police goalkeeper Job Ochieng some work to do early in the game as he tried his luck from outside the area and from close range but wasn’t successful.Police registered a single shot on target in the first half through Derrick Otanga who, tried to beat Brian Bwire from close range but the latter’s strong arms kept the ball out for a corner.Duke Abuya had intercepted a poorly whipped goal kick by Bwire before squaring the ball to Otanga who tried to find the farthest corner.However, Bwire read the move well, and redeemed himself by stretching to his limit to deflecting the goal bound shot for a corner.Ugandan keeper Benjamin Ochan seeks out of court settlement with AFC LeopardsTusker enjoyed possession for large spells in the first half but, turning it to goals proved difficult as Police tightened their defence that, successfully dealt with the questions asked in their area.The three changes Police made injected some sense of urgency as they made inroads to the Tusker area, forcing the rear men to double their efforts in a bid, to repulse them.Tusker took the lead in the 67th minute through Shaphan Siwa who outsprinted Shakava to poke the ball home after Rodgers Ouma found him with well weighted long pass.Seconds before the goal, nearly every Police fan in the stadium had arms wrapped around the head after Clifton Miheso curled the ball from the left side but the woodwork came to the rescue of Tusker.Two Kenyan match officials in Cairo for Elite Referees’ courseOuma, collected the rebound and quickly noticed Siwa in the half of Police and found him with a long ball that, beat what would have been an offside trap mounted by Shakava and Musa.The goal triggered Police to step up more as they knocked on the Tusker door but the solid defending and the changes Matano made got the job done.TuskerBrian Bwire, Tom Teka, Levin Odhiambo, Daniel Sakari, Charles Momanyi, Humphrey Mieno, Michael Oduor (Michael Kibwage 90 +2) Rodgers Ouma, Erick Otieno (Shami Mwinyi 78), Lawrence Luvanda (Stewart Omondi 78), Shaphan Siwa( Jackson Macharia 78)Unused substitutes Michael Wanjala, Jimmy Mbugua, Collins Otieno, David Odoyo, Erick Zakayo.Kenya Police Job Ochieng, Yusuf Mainge, Abud Omar, Harun Shakava (Charles Ouma 68), Musa Mohamed, David Ochieng Reagan Otieno (Reagan Otieno 46), Francis Kahata (Marvin Nabwire 68), Duke Abuya, David Simiyu (AlvinMang’eni 46), Derrick Otanga (Elvis Rupia 46)Unused substitutes Reuben Juma,Erick Juma,Soita Silicho, David Owino, Lesley Owino, David Okoth, Clinton Kinanga
