Harambee Stars winger returns to punish Tusker as Police get back to winning ways

Harambee Stars winger Eric Zakayo returned to haunt his former side as defending FKF Premier League champions Kenya Police beat Tusker 2-1 at St. Sebastian Park on Sunday, 16 November.

The 27-year-old, who left the Brewers for Police in July last year, got on the scoresheet in the 13th minute to give his side a lead they never relinquished.

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There were muted celebrations as he got the ball past the returning Joseph Ochuka, but Police's joy was doubled when David Simiyu added a second right at the half-hour mark.

Two-time Most Valuable Player (MVP) winner Erick Kapaito pulled one back for Tusker from the spot, but it was not enough to help his side stumble to a third defeat this season.

The two strikes from the Law Enforcers, which came after early Tusker pressure, gave Dusan Stojanovic his second win as Kenya Police coach, and crucially offered him reprieve, following his side's 2-0 humbling at the hands of record champions Gor Mahia last weekend.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Tusker's perceived resurgence under Charles Okere got a huge reality check, their latest defeat halting a six-match unbeaten run that had the team going in the right direction after an early season blip.

Match Report

Buoyed by a decent run that culminated with a 1-0 win over Bidco last weekend, there was an expectation that revitalized Tusker would jump at every opportunity to further deepen the woes of a wounded Police outfit, and the former showed their hunger when they threatened through Charles Momanyi in the sixth minute, only for his header to sail over the bar.

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Their bright start was ,however, snuffed out at the earliest opportunity as Zakayo scored the opener seven minutes later.

Tusker, in response, carved another chance through the on-form Denis Oalo, but his header from a Dennis Wanjala free kick dropped wide.

Ochuka, on the other end, was forced to a big save to deny Police striker David Okoth, minutes before Simiyu struck the decisive blow with a second at the half-hour mark.

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Okere resulted in making a host of changes as his side chased in the second half, but the visitor's defense stood strong.

When the door finally opened through substitute Kapaito ,who was returning from injury, it was too late, as Tusker's fate had already been sealed.

Their third defeat this season took saw them drop to seventh with 12 points, while three points for Police catapulted them up to 10th, having amassed 11 points from just six matches.