Four-time Kenyan champions Ulinzi Stars have bagged their second win in the 2022-2023 Football Kenya Federation Premier League season after thrashing FC Talanta 3-0 at Kasarani Annex on Wednesday.Ulinzi who were coming from a 1-1draw against Sofapaka shot thrice at the Talanta goalkeeper without reply to bag their biggest win and second cleansheet in the season.Talanta on the other hand have tasted defeat for the second time in the campaign as they fell 4-2 away to Kakamega Homeboyz last weekend.Reacting to the loss, Talanta head coach Kenneth Kenyatta admitted that it wasn’t their day as the soldiers were neck and shoulders above them.”We lost to the better side today. However, there are some positives we have picked from the game that will guide our next training sessions,” he said.His opposite number, Bernard Mwalala said the win was a reflection of the hard work they had been putting in training.”On paper, the game was there for the taking for both teams. We worked hard for the three points. Talanta have always been a hard nut to crack,” he said.Talanta offered little resistance to the threats posed by Ulinzi Stars who looked lively from onset and depicted the hunger to bag maximum points. Ulinzi’s push for the opener paid off in the 20th minute when the centre referee pointed to the centre after a defender handled in the area. A minute later, Hillary Simiyu stepped up to send Kevin Otieno the wrong way to give the soldiers the lead. It was the fourth goal for the former Nzoia Sugar man. Ulinzi didn’t rest of their laurels after taking the lead as they continued to knock on the Talanta door, attacks which saw the hosts committed numbers in their half in a bid to contain the pressure. With Ulinzi not allowing them breathing space, Talanta opted for long balls in a bid to reach the area and possibly sneak the ball past Ricks Omondi who had little to do in the entire game.The four-time Kenyan champions doubled their lead in the 37th minute through Enosh Ochieng who plundered home the ball from the edge of the box, catching Otieno unaware. The half time pep talk delivered by coach Kenyatta to his charges did little to prevent Ulinzi from grabbing the third goal in the 51st minute as Bernard Ongoma headed the ball from close range. Ongoma, a unlikely goal scorer benefited from poor marking by the Talanta defence as he headed the ball floated in the area by Boniface Muchiri unmarked. It is after netting the third that Ulinzi changed tact and began knocking the ball around without invading the Talanta area as opposed in the first half. Quorum hitch in the Talanta technical bench worsened the situation for them as coach Kenyatta had limited options given the go slows that have rocked the club.Talanta held in pressure from Ulinzi forwards in the final minutes of the game, further preventing more damage.FC TalantaKevin Otieno, Alvin Ochieng, Erick Lusaka, Shela Mandela, Barrack Odhiambo, Luis Masika, Michael Jairo (Gershon Likono 60)Alex Luganji( Elisha Owino 60) Angal Oporia (December Kisaka 74), Dennis Oalo, Brian Yakhama (Alfric Omondi 85)Unused sbstitutes Jairus Adira, George Onyango, Ian Omondi, Ulinzi Stars Ricks Omondi, Salim Swaleh, Omar Mbongi, Boniface Andayi, Peter Wafula, Bernard Ongoma, John Kago, Staphod Odhiambo (Clinton Omondi 50), Boniface Muchiri, Hillary Simiyu (Masita Masuta 76), Enosh Ochieng (Mark Bikokwa 76)Unused substitutes Stephen Ochieng, Brian Birgen, Alex Masinde, Shannel Makwata, Reuben Okoth, Francis Omondi
