Muchiri hattrick propels Ulinzi to emphatic win as Shabana pick valuable points

Boniface Muchiri scored a hat trick as Ulinzi Stars beat FC Talanta 3-0 at St. Sebastian Park to end their three-game winless streak in a match staged on Saturday afternoon.

Muchiri scored in either half to reignite his rich vein of scoring form, taking his tally this season to five goals and putting him in contention for the Golden Boot this term.

The former Tusker forward scored a twin of freekicks in the 9th and 32nd minute of play before completing his first-ever hat trick for the soldiers in the 85th minute and sealing all three points for Anthony Kimani’s charges.

While the win brought a smile to soldiers' faces, it ended Talanta’s incredible run of eight games without defeat in the Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKFPL).

While Ulinzi solidified their hold on the eleventh spot in the standings, Talanta suffered a demotion on the standings, dropping to seventh on 19 points, and could drop further depending on results from Sunday’s encounters.

Posta Rangers 0-1 Ulinzi Stars

Tactical Analysis: Delving into Homeboyz 1-0 win over Ulinzi Stars

Elsewhere, Samuel Kapen's strike was the difference in Machakos as league leaders Posta Rangers suffered a shock 1-0 defeat to Nairobi City Stars in a match played at Kenyatta Stadium on Saturday.

This comes as a shock to the mailmen's loyalists as the club suffered its first defeat in five matches, halting their perfect run and handing a huge advantage to second-placed Gor Mahia who can leapfrog Rangers at the helm and open two points gap with a win over Kariobangi Sharks on Sunday.

Nicholas Muyoti’s troops' fifth win of the campaign lifted them to eight on the standings with 18 points after thirteen games.

Shabana 1-1 KCB

In Homabay, Shabana were in danger of another pressure pilling in what was Caleb Aringa’s first game in charge of the Kisii club since his appointment as the assistant coach, but they gave in a concerted effort against KCB FC to salvage a point for the glamour boys.

Free-scoring City Stars midfielder eyes more after reaching five-goal target

Brian Michira had the hosts ahead in the 7th minute before on-form Fransic Kahiro settled the scores in the 31st minute scoring in his third game in a row.

Efforts by the home side to cause a late upset and end the bankers' streak of three unbeaten games were met with counterattacks from the marauding trio of James Mazembe, Derrick Otieno, and Kahiro but the 2022-2023 National Super League champions had the returning Mustapha Odour to thank for the single point earned.

The outcome however, had little effect on KCB’s position on the log as they maintained their third place two points ahead of fourth-placed Kakamega Homeboyz who take to the field on Sunday against Bidco United, while Shabana climbed a step on the ladder to settle fourteenth with 11 points after 13 games.