Posta Rangers struck five minutes to the end of the match to beat defending champions Tusker 1-0 courtesy of a fierce free-kick from Joakins Atudo.
The mailmen looked like they would be left ruing a referee decision that denied them a possible winner also from Atudo and deprived them their star striker Dennis Mukaisi for their next match, until the Posta skipper took matters in his own hands firing in a long range pile driver that left Duncan Ochieng flailing in the air and Rangers players with arms aloft in jubilation.
The clash, coming hot on the heels of their stalemate three days earlier, started with a frenetic pace with Posta adopting a take no prisoners approach to unsettle brewers. This earned them two yellow cards in the opening quarter with Eric Kibiru and Dennis Mukaisi the culprits. The incessant fouling by the mailmen was almost punished in the 5th minute but David Mwangi’s shot veered just past the goal.
Posta were nearly gifted a goal in the 10th minute when Mwangi inadvertently hit the ball across his own goal but Kennedy Otieno failed to capitalise on the situation, miscuing his effort with only goalkeeper Duncan Ochieng to beat.
The slippery pitch did little to improve the quality of play and it was no surprise when Edwin Mwaura limped off to be replaced by John Marika. Tusker finished the half strongly with Collins Shivachi blasting a free-kick, just wide off Farouk Shikalo’s upright after yet another Posta infringement. Both sides made alterations in the first twenty minutes of the second half with Dan Kago and Anthony Ndolo taking the places of Boniface Muchiri and Cercidy Lumumba respectively.
Posta responded by bringing on Joseph Kuria for Otieno. Clear cut chances continued to remain elusive from open play with more danger being brought by set pieces which too were not up to scratch until Atudo took the decisive one with the tie seemingly destined for another drub stalemate. Tusker are now winless in their last four matches and are now four points behind Posta, who have 33 points.