Premium
KCB hit Tusker as new SportPesa League season gets underway
Eric Kapaito (centre) of Tusker FC tussles for the ball with Amatton Samunya (right) and Clyde Senaji of KCB during the opening fixture of the 2025-2026 SportPesa League season on September 19, 2025 at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani in Nairobi.
What you need to know:
- The victory is no doubt a huge motivation to the bankers, who are desperate of a first-ever title of the top-flight league.
- Omondi announced his arrival at KCB in the 19th minute when he tapped December Kisakah’s cross into the roof of the net.
If KCB needed a bright start to their chase for a maiden SportPesa League title then their 2-0 victory over 13-time champions Tusker on Friday evening could not have been any better.
Experienced forward Boniface Omondi not only scored the league’s first goal but also struck a brace to hand KCB a winning start at the 48,000-seater Moi International Sports Center (MISC) Kasarani.
The match was marred by controversy after defender KCB’s defender Nashon Wekesa remained on the pitch until the end despite receiving a second booking in the second half. One of the match officials later attributed the incident to miscommunication.
The victory is no doubt a huge motivation to the bankers, who are desperate of a first-ever title of the top-flight league since the club’s founding in 1993.
KCB’s new-found belief that this could finally be their year in also anchored on the fact that they are now under the tutelage of Kenya’s most successful coach - veteran Robert Matano.
Matano boasts of an impressive four top-flight league title - with Sofapaka in 2009 and Tusker in 2012, 2021, and 2022.
Previously with 21-time record champions Gor Mahia, Omondi announced his arrival at KCB in the 19th minute when he tapped December Kisakah’s cross into the roof of the net.
That was only the bankers’ second shot on target as Richard Omondi earlier directed his effort straight into the waiting hands of Tusker’s goalkeeper Joseph Ochuka.
With Tusker looking for an immediate response, defender Charles Momanyi should have done better in the 24th minute rather than heading wide. Just moments later, Ochuka made a brilliant save to deny KCB a chance to double their lead.
New signing Kelvin Etemesi was the player came close to scoring. Tusker threatened the other end with defender Clyde Senaji making a goal-line clearance with his head.
Omondi struck again in the 42nd minute to give the bankers a healthy 2-0 at the break.
Earlier Tusker made the match’s firstchange with Thomas Omole coming in for Cliff Oruko. The brewers made two other changes at the restart, Chrispine Erambo and Dennis Oalo replacing Issa Lumumba and Simiyu respectively.
The former champions had a golden chance to reduce the deficit when they were awarded a penalty in the 56th minute after Wekesa handled the ball inside the box but returnee Erick Kapaito blasted his effort over the crossbar. That was the moment Wekesa received his second booking that should have seen him leave the pitch.
Kapaito, the 2018 and 2021 top scorer is among the players Tusker are banking in to reclaim the title they last won in 2022. KCB also made changes in the second half, Stephen Etyang and Jack Onganya coming in for December Kisakah and Maruti Dennis respectively.
While both sides created more chances to add to the scoreline, neither was able to score.
