Goals from Clifford Alwanga and Daniel Otieno helped Mathare United down Nairobi City in an FKF Premier League match played at the Ruaraka Grounds on Saturday afternoon and in the process moved further towards safety. .Going into the game, City Stars were without a number of key players through suspension and injuries. Peter Opiyo, Davis Agesa, Oliver Maloba and Rodgers Okumu, were all injured while Anthony Kimani, Kevin Okumu and Salim Abdalla were suspended and this gave the resurgent Slum Boys a chance of further moving towards safety.Mathare United started the game strongly and nearly went ahead in the fourth minute after a quick exchange of passes involving Clifford Alwanga who was making his first start of the season and Daniel Otieno but a confusion between the two allowed City Stars keeper Steve Njunge to pull a save.The goal did finally come in the 10th minute through Alwanga. James Kinyanjui did some good work down the right before setting up Khalid Jumaan whose miss kick set up Alwanga who back-heeled the ball home. Five minutes later John Kamau had a chance to hit back but his shot from the left hit the side netBoth teams were forced to first half chances due to injury. Mathare’s Norman Ogola was replaced by Lennox Ogutu in the 19th minute after a bad challenge from Edwin Buliba. This resulted to reorganization for the Slum Boys at the back with Ogutu going to central defense and Anthony Otieno moving to leftback position.City Stars were forced to reorganize as well in the 31st minute when Wycliffe Otieno picked an injury. Calvin Masawa replaced him and he went into the right back position as Buliba moved to central Defence.City Stars had a couple of chances to hit back before the break but David Okello on Mathare goal stood tall to deny Bolton Omwenga and Ezekiel Odera.Seven minutes into the second half Okello pulled another great save to deny Omwenga once again, and a minute later Kamau missed a free header as City Stars looked to come back into the game.City Stars looked in total control of the second half but against the run of play they conceded a second goal in the 70th minute when Daniel Otieno curled home a superb free-kick.The last phase of the game wa largely balanced as Mathare defended their advantage to pick maximum points.
