Nzoia Sugar are still determined to finish in the top half of the Kenya Premier League table despite falling 1-0 to Ulinzi Stars yesterday, thanks to a late goal by Bernard Ongoma.
The Sudi-based side, who have played a game fewer than most sides in the 18-team league as they await the ruling on the outcome of their clash with AFC Leopards which was a non-starter.
Nzoia had looked likely to take a point from the soldiers until they were undone by Ongoma’s winner five minutes from t
ime. The result saw them fall a place down to the 11th spot on the table with 31 points with seven games to go.
“The result today is disappointing because of the effort we put in but credit to the players they held their own against a tough team and we still want to finish as high as we can. Since I came in that has been our objective as a team to get as many points as possible on board and build on from there next season,” said Nzoia coach Godfrey Oduor.
Having taken over Nzoia from Nicholas Muyoti mid last month, Oduor has overseen a mixed bag of results but he remains firmly optimistic that they are on the right track.
“We have had very little time in training due to the tight league schedule. Regardless, the players are working hard to take on board what we do in training and eventually that determination will pay off in game situations,” said the youthful former Kibera All-Stars’ tactician.
The three points for Ulinzi moved them above Leopards into 8th in the table with 39 points. KCB erased memories of their second-half capitulation five days ago as they saw off basement side Mount Kenya United 2-0.
Leading 3-0 in their previous outing against league leaders Gor Mahia, Frank Ouna’s charges collapsed in the second half, allowing K’Ogalo to snatch a point at the death. Yesterday, they were never in danger of suffering a similar fate after Kennedy Owino had given them the lead ten minutes after the break.
Ezekiel Odera made sure of that with the second goal. KCB moved a place above Nzoia to 11th with 34 points while long-suffering Mount Kenya propped up the league table with 18 points from 28 outings.
