League leaders KCB needed a late goal from Maurice Owino to see off a stubborn FC Talanta with a 2-1 victory in a 2024-25 FKF Premier League Round 9 match played at the Dandora Stadium in Nairobi on Friday.
Owino headed in a free kick taken by James Kinyanjui at the death to give the Bankers their sixth win of the season and increase their points tally to 20, five more than second-placed Mara Sugar who host Sofapaka at the Awendo Green Stadium on Sunday.
The timing of Owino’s goal was a sucker punch to FC Talanta who had battled hard to come back into the game with Emmanuel Osoro’s 90th-minute strike cancelling Francis Kahiro’s goal which had given KCB the lead in the 18th minute.
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While the nature of KCB’s victory underlines their title credentials, FC Talanta were left to pick up the pieces as they remain 17th with six points, only a point more than the bottom-placed Posta Rangers who host Mathare United at the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos on Saturday.
In the other league match played at the same venue, neither Kariobangi Sharks nor Kenya Police could muster a return to winning ways as they settled for a goalless draw as the law-enforcers maintained their unbeaten record in league away matches against Sharks.
Since their promotion to the FKF Premier League, Kenya Police have won twice and drawn two matches in four travels to Kariobangi Sharks. However, today’s results favours neither side as both now have their winless streak stretching to five matches and three matches respectively.
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For Kenya Police, in particular, there will be a great desire to move on quickly from today’s match as they heighten their search for a new coach to replace Salim Babu who was sacked on Wednesday together with his entire technical bench.
With their next three matches being against league leaders KCB, Mara Sugar and AFC Leopards, interim-coach Beldine Odemba has her work cut out in steadying the ship during those three encounters.
Following the result, Kariobangi Sharks remain 3rd with 14 points while Kenya Police remain 15th with seven points.
KCB open five-point gap
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