Kenya: Congo’s Selebwa Has the Last Laugh

Odindo Ayieko

25 April 2011

Nairobi — Robert Matano became the second coaching casualty after AFC Leopards were stunned 1-0 by Congo United on Sunday, the debutant Mombasa club’s first Kenyan Premier League win of the season.

It has been an uphill struggle for Congo who fired their coach Gideon Ochieng last weekend and nothing seemed to be working for them.

But new coach Gilbert Selebwa seems to have come with new hope as he led them to victory on Sunday and exacted sweet revenge on his former employers who showed him the door despite his efforts to haul them back into the premiership from the Nationwide League.

But while Congo celebrated, Sony Sugar’s run of poor performances continued this time with a 2-0 loss to Kenya Commercial Bank.

Coach Francis Baraza has already thrown in the towel and nothing seems to be working for the 2007 champions.

Leaders Tusker, meanwhile, cemented their position at the top of the league with a 1-0 win over Western Stima at Kakamega’s Bukhungu Stadium. It leaves Tusker with 21 points at the helm, three ahead of KCB while surprise package Rangers have 17 points in third place.

Tusker’s coach Sammy Omollo, who has seen his side lose only once in the league this season, was happy to have beaten Western Stima who were responsible for the brewers’ exit from the lucrative KPL Top Eight tournament recently.

“I am happy we won away. Stima is not an easy side to beat but we are happy we have come back with three vital points,” said Omollo.

Omollo’s Tusker are playing with zeal and determination to win the league and the former Harambee Stars centre back says his boys are not relenting until they reclaim the title they last won in 2006.

Champions Ulinzi Stars seem to have shaken off their poor showing at the start of the season and have now jumped to fourth with 14 points after beating Bandari 2-0 in Mombasa on Saturday while Thika are now fifth with 13 points following their 1-0 win over Chemelil at the Thika Municipal Stadium on Sunday.

Rangers are third with 17 points after beating Karuturi in Naivasha, complicating matters for the flowermen’s coach James Nandwa.

AllAfrica – All the Time