Pressure is slowly and surely mounting on the shoulders of FC Talanta head coach Jackline Juma as the club stretched its winless run to five matches following the 1-1 draw against Kariobangi Sharks on Saturday at Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos. Juma made history after becoming the first female coach in the Kenyan top tier following the decision by Talanta to hire the CAF A license holder before the start of the season. The former Harambee Starlets player had a dream start as she guided Talanta to a 1-0 win over Sofapaka in the league opener played at the same venue. ##NAJAVA_MECA_8466540##Ever since, the club has remained winless, a run that definitely gives Juma and her backroom staff pressure and more work to do considering that the team has dropped points, twice from a winning position.Match ReportSharks had full control of the proceedings but overconfidence, while in possession, cost them in the 20th minute as Talanta won possession in their half with Alex Kipruto squeezing the ball between Sebastian Wekesa’s legs.Sharks had attempted to pierce through the middle but Talanta’s press won the ball before laying it to Emmanuel Osoro, who found Kipruto on the left wing.Complaints rise over safety of Dandora Stadium opened just eight months agoThe youngster used his pace to out-sprint Frédérick Alushula before unleashing a low shot that gave his side the lead against the run of play. Before conceding, Sharks squandered a clear chance when Keith Imbali looped in the ball but Victor Ngume’s header slammed the crossbar, much to the relief of the beaten Mustapha Oduor.There was nothing to write home about the remainder of the half as both teams struggled to create chances or dictate play. ##NAJAVA_MECA_8466573##Talanta appeared to bank hopes for a second goal on Emmanuel Osoro and Kipruto, who caused the Sharks backline trouble courtesy of their pace, but the offside trap mounted by Sharks proved effective. Sharks were the quickest off the blocks after the restart as they enjoyed dominance partly due to the two changes made before Stephen Rimba blasted the whistle.Ngume made up for the missed chance in the first half by levelling scores in the 59th minute after poking the ball home from close range. New squad gives us a chance to win – Austin Odhiambo on Harambee Stars’ redemption effortsA poor clearance in the Talanta box allowed Ngume room to have the slightest touch on the ball which was enough to beat Oduor. The human wall mounted by Talanta blocked a hard-drilled freekick by Imbali but Ngume was quick to react, touching the ball by the tip of his boot to bring his side level. The goal perhaps gave Sharks the inspiration to tilt the tie in their favour as they were the better side for the better part of the half but lack of an out-and-out striker was evident as the team lacked punch in the final third. ##NAJAVA_MECA_8466551##While Juma will be left under pressure following the result, his Sharks counterpart Ezekiel Seda will also not be content with the outcome given that the team has gone for four matches without maximum points. Seda was in charge in the absence of his boss William Muluya, who is in Uganda with the national team for the second leg of a 2025 CHAN qualifier against South Sudan. The youthful coach also manned the touchline in the one-all draw against Shabana last weekend at Dandora Stadium.
