Ryan Ogam scored his first top flight hattrick as Tusker FC clinched a dominant 3-1 victory over Murang’a Seal at the St Sebastian Park on Sunday evening.
Ogam found the back of the net twice in quick succession in the first half before completing his hattrick at the death to take his tally for the season to 10 in seven games.
Substitute Humphrey Obinna had pulled one back for the hosts with quarter of an hour left to make for some nervous minutes, but Ogam’s goal calmed the nerves for the third successive victory of the season.
The boys had a strong start top the match with some good chances. Shaphan Siwa had two good chances, first his flick at the near post saved by the keeper before another effort on the volley was blocked on the line.
John Njuguna, making his first start of the season coming in for the injured Naaman Balecho also had a good chance when he was put through on goal by Ogam, but his low effort rolled wide.
The pressure finally bore fruit in the 31st minute when Ogam broke the deadlock with a delightful finish. He brilliantly controlled Mike Kibwage’s deep pass before lifting the ball over the keeper who had come racing off his line.
Almost immediately, he scored his second of the afternoon with a swift volley from inside the box after the Seal defense had half heartedly cleared George Kaddu’s long throw.
In the second half, the hosts came back strong and pinned Tusker into their own half. They pulled one back in the 75th minute when Obinna’s freekick rose over the wall and into bottom corner.
The goal lifted Seal, but Tusker were resilient in their defending. On the other end, substitute Thomas Omole could have grabbed a goal when he drifted to the edge of the box from the left, but his shot rolled wide.
The home side were dumping balls into the area in an ettempt to force an equalizer. As they left spaces behind, Tusker exploited.
Fabian Adikiny rose well to flick the ball into Ogam’s run, the keeper once again rushing off his line and Ogam calmly beating him with his first touch and slapping the ball home with his second.
The win takes Tusker to third in the standings with 18 points after 10 matches, four behind leaders KCB.
