Naivas FC’s hopes of climbing into the Kenya Premier League took a hit on Saturday after being forced to share the spoils in a dramatic 2-2 draw with Darajani Gogo at Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos.
In a match full of momentum shifts, it was Darajani Gogo who struck first, with Steve Austin finding the back of the net early to put the visitors ahead. Naivas responded through a composed penalty by Robert Karisa, leveling the score and injecting life into their promotion push.
But Gogo weren’t done. Veron Obina restored their lead in the 26th minute, punishing a lapse in the Naivas defense. The hosts, desperate to salvage something, pushed forward and were eventually rewarded in the second half. Newton Ochieng stepped up in the 63rd minute with a cool finish that sealed the draw and earned Naivas a hard-fought point.
While Naivas walked away frustrated, there was joy elsewhere on the coast as Mombasa Stars delighted their home fans with a commanding 3-1 victory over Kisumu All Stars at Serani Sports Ground.
Despite a shaky start and missed opportunities in the opening 10 minutes wasted chances from Samson Karisa and Rodgers Okumu Mombasa Stars found their rhythm.
It was Kisumu who struck first, however. In the 11th minute, Japeth Onyango lifted the ball delicately over the defense, finishing off an inch-perfect cross from Emmanuel Juma to stun the hosts and give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
Stars nearly equalized immediately when Hosea Ballack’s shot ricocheted off the post and his rebound flew high, but the forward didn’t take long to make up for it. In the 30th minute, Ballack seized on a loose ball inside the box to bring Stars level, breathing new life into the match.
The second half belonged to Mombasa. In the 58th minute, Mwema Mwanzah took full advantage of a goalkeeping error by David Obonyo, coolly slotting the ball into the net to give Stars a 2-1 lead. Ballack returned again to complete his brace, putting the game beyond Kisumu’s reach and sealing all three points.
It was a well-earned win for Mombasa Stars, while Naivas FC will have to regroup quickly as the race for promotion tightens.
