Tusker did what they needed to do–beat AFC Leopards to claim their 11th top flight crown.
Ugandan Shafik Batambuze scored the lone goal midway through the second half to beat Leopards 1-0 in a nervy SPL clash at Nakuru on Sunday.
The victory took the brewers to an unassailable 58 points, four more than dethroned Gor Mahia with one match left to play.
After Gor had won there match 2-0 on Saturday against Muhoroni Youth to reduce the deficit, the league leaders took the gauntlet thrown to Tusker.
Against a much changed Leopards side with new coach Stewart Hall in charge for the first time, it did not seem a daunting task.
The brewers were quick off the mark with Humphrey Mieno firing a shot that Ian Otieno pushed away.
Robert Omunuk then sent a cross that Jackson Saleh diverted out for an unsuccessful corner.
Leopards with top scorer Kepha Aswani among the players banished from the squad were getting no joy going forward with Paul Kiongera and Alfred Wekesa getting no service from midfield.
Tusker wary of giving Leopards something to hold on to were also cautious going forward, forcing coach Paul Nkata to shuffle his pack at the break with Jackson Macharia coming on for Omunuk.
Leopards responded by taking off Saleh and Wekesa with Yusuf Suf and Joshua Mawira taking their place.
With time going, the brewers attack assumed further urgency.
From a corner that was cleared just outside the box Batambuze squeezed in a shot that Ian Otieno saw too late as it snuggled into the net and gave Tusker the lead they were desperate for. It was a lead they held on to to end Gor’s three year reign.
Instead of facing a winner-take-it all clash against the holders, Tusker will now go into the last match of the campaign against Gor to receive a deserved guard of honour. Chemelil Sugar are still third with 44 points despite losing 1-0 to Thika United as Western Stima lost by a similar scoreline against Bandari to remain a point further back.
Kakamega Homeboyz made sure they will finish in the top half of the table after their goalless draw with fifth placed Ulinzi Stars.
A last gap penalty from Whyvonne Isuza denied Sofapaka a win against Mathare United leaving them needing to win their last match and hope Ushuru are beaten for them to remain in the top division.
-The Star