Bidco fail to end winless run in Ulinzi stalemate

Bidco United failed to end their six-game winless run but moved from the bottom of the table after battling to a 1-1 draw with Ulinzi Stars at Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos on Friday.

Kickstarting the weekend action at the foot of the log, Bidco looked to be steering clear off the relegation spots when Jacob Onyango struck the opener within the first minute of the contest.

The hosts’ dream start would, however, not count for much as Ulinzi Stars clawed back in the second half, grabbing a deserved equalizer through the excellent Telena Ochieng in the 47th minute.

Previous contests between both sides had indicated nothing much in between them - they had drawn five of their nine head-to-head matches - and so it proved; a stalemate not enough for either team to make significant moves up the table.

It had been the kind of start Bidco coach Anthony Akhulia would have wanted as his side jumped to a quickfire lead in the first minute.

A long punt upfront by Bidco resulted in an audacious shot from Onyango from near midfield that caught opposing keeper Sylvaine Ricks unaware as it hit the top corner.

The strike was Onyango’s second in as many matches, following his equalizer against Kariobangi Sharks last weekend.

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Ulinzi, with a new-look attack of Meshack Karani and Oscar Wamalwa, couldn’t get out of the blocks any slower, and almost conceded a second immediately after the opener, only for Simon Abuko to miscue a cross from the left with the goal open.

Brian Oduor was also guilty of missing a wide open chance when he cut through the left but blazed over with his right foot.

Karani then gave Ulinzi a glimmer of hope when he curled his 41st minute effort over the bar, but missed a clear chance minutes later - his shot from inside the box kissing the crossbar and over.

A string of substitutions at halftime brought the tonic Dunstan Nyaudo was hoping for, and Ochieng, who was among the big channels the visitors used in the first half, brought his side level after squeezing in a low freekick past the Bidco defense.

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Both keepers did not have much to deal with afterwards, and at the end of the game, it was clear which the most dissatisfied team was.

“Not satisfied at all,” Akhulia said post-match. “This is a game we had so many chances - especially in the first half - to score more goals but as usual, very wasteful.”

Bidco, with the result, move up a place into 17th but tied on points with bottom-placed Posta Rangers, while Ulinzi move a place up to 10th.