At the final whistle, Mathare’s technical bench embraced, the players clapped in celebration while others went down in exhaustion. It was an unfamiliar winning feeling, one that they had last experienced in October last year. And now, under John Kamau they had won again. They beat Talanta 2-0 at Ruaraka Grounds, giving them a taste of what they had delivered in the first leg.Danson Kago scored first, then Daniel Otieno added the second in the first 15 minutes. They had lost scored twice in the first half against Sofapaka in their first win of the season, in October also.Mathare had a dream start to the match, scoring in the third minute to take an early lead courtesy of Danson Kago who struck home from the right side of the attack.The goal was a wake up call to Talanta who pushed forward for an equalizer.Francis Kahiro could have delivered that but his effort even after beating the keeper went into the side netting with an empty goal to himself but from a tight angle.The Slum Boys doubled their advantage from the spot 16 minutes in the game after Shela Mandela was adjudged to have handled the ball in the box prompting the referee to point to the spot.Daniel Otieno stepped up to take the resultant penalty and made no mistake as he sent the ball into the net to make it 2-0.With the goal, Mathare played with more confidence and swagger depicting a whole different side from the one in the relegation zone, one would even confuse them for a team in the top three.On resumption, Ken Kenyatta made two changes to his side introducing Kevintom Machika and Edwin Lavatsa for Maurice Dukuly and Brian Yakhama.The change injected some urgency in the side, and Talanta even had the chance to pull one back from a freekick just outside the area but Hassan Mohammed’s effort went just inches from the top corner.Moments later, Daniel Otieno could have grabbed his second and third for Mathare when he connected to a freekick from Anthony Oginga but his effort went straight into the hands of the goalkeeper.On the hour mark, John Kamau made a double change as Daniel Otieno and Eugene Wethuli made way for Chrispin Oduor and Tony Odhiambo, seeking to close the pockets of spaces, before bringing in Austine Ochieng for Anthony Oginga.With 15 minutes left to play, Kenyatta threw in Enock Momanyi and rested Kahiro as their push for a goal intensified.Momanyi could have had a direct impact from the right side of the attack but his long range shot went over the bar.As Talanta pushed harder, Mathare defended with all they had, went highest in the air when needed, and lowest with the tackles when called upon, and broke away with their own attacks when they had the chance.Despite coming on in the 60th minute, Tony Odhiambo could not play to the final whistle as Kamau brought in Ronald Koech in the final minutes of the game.Talanta Starting XI: Kevin Otieno, Alvin Otieno, Maurice Dukuly, Nichodemus Malika, Shela Mandela, Vincent Owino, Brian Yakhama, Michael Bodo, Mohammed Hassan, Francis Kahiro, Michael JairoSubs: Isaiah Wakasala, Eugene Wamalwa, Luis Masika, Enock Momanyi, Kevintom Machika, Edwin Jumba, Rodgers AngalMathare United Starting XI: Byrne Omondi (GK), Kennedy Ochieng, Victor Odhiambo, Anthony Otieno, Norman Ogolla, Meshack Muyonga, Alphonse Ndonye, Danson Kago(C), Daniel Otieno, Clifford Alwanga, Eugene WethuliSubs: Tom Kangeta, Harun Junior, Tony Odhiambo, Austine Ochieng, Chrispin Oduor, Ronald Koech
