KCB vs Sofapaka (City Stadium)
Sofapaka may have lost a number
of key players in the June transfer period, but they seem to have done a good
job in bringing in replacement, and striker Herman Wasswa is proof.
The Ugandan, on his debut, scored
the only goal of the match as Batoto ba Mungu saw off Chemelil Sugar to keep two points ahead of the
hard-chasing Ulinzi Stars.
KCB started the second leg with
two straight losses and could be facing another hiding.
Their lead striker Paul Kiongera,
whose planned return to Tanzania club Simba SC fell through a second time in
June, is available and should team up with new signing George Banda and
Chrispinus Odhiambo to try and give the bankers the break they so badly need.
Muhoroni Youth vs Nakuru All Stars (Muhoroni Stadium)
The position of Francis Baraza at
the helm of Muhoroni Youth technical benchremains unclear with the air thick
with rumours that he has been shown the door and replaced by Ugandan Paul
Nkata.
The management remains
tight-lipped on the matter, although it is no secret that club chairman Moses
Adagala is unhappy with the team’s performance thus far.
But having held Sony Sugar to a
barren draw at their home ground on Wednesday, Muhoroni will fancy all three points
against basement side All Stars, who have lost 11 of their 17 matches.
Ushuru vs AFC Leopards (Kasarani Stadium)
AFC Leopards showed impeccable
character in their midweek encounter coming from behind to beat KCB 2-1 at the
Nyayo National Stadium with new signing Patrick Kagogo scoring the winner.
For a team whose starting 11 has
drastically changed following a player mass exodus witnessed during the June
transfer period, the win was a pleasant surprise to the Ingwe fanatical
followers.
They face Ushuru, who return to
Nairobi wounded after receiving a shock 1-0 beating by Bandari in their
Wednesday encounter.
With this match, the taxmen will
fancy the prospects of reclaiming the fourth position in the Kenyan PremierLeague, but they must be wary of the unpredictable and dangerous Ingwe.
“The club is going through
several challenges, and our strategy is to take one match at a time. We want to
give our best in every match and we shall see where we end up in the end,” said
coach Zdravko Logarusic, who has shown uncharacteristic patience with the club
this season.
Tusker vs Chemelil Sugar (Nyayo Stadium)
An own goal by defender Joackins
Atudo on Wednesday denied Tusker all points against Ulinzi Stars and they will
be looking to clean up their game under the demanding coach Francis Kimanzi.
New signing Danson Kago will be
the man to watch in the brewers’ squad following his superb performance on his
debut against Nakuru All Stars, together with club top scorer Jesse Were.
Chemelil Sugar will feel capable
of taking on the brewers toe-to-toe. Their new signing Joshua Oyoo, although
wasteful in their last match, showed promise and is expected to start for Henry
Omino’s side that are yet to hand returnee Jairus Adira a starting role.
City Stars vs Ulinzi Stars (Ruaraka ground)
After missing Ulinzi Stars’s
midweek encounter against Tusker on Wednesday following minor surgery, coach
Robert Matano is expected to return to the touchline for this encounter.
The soldiers are by all means
title contenders and will want to bounce back from their hard-fought draw with
Tusker on Wednesday.
Their lead scorer John Makwata,
who dazzled in the early stages of the league, has been rather quiet. He has a
chance to get back on the score sheet against easily one of the weakest teams in
the league this season. Matano will also have the options of using bustling
Kevin Amwayi and John Nairuka.
Will their newly acquired Sh81
million sponsorship will City Stars raise their game this afternoon?
Sony Sugar vs Bandari (Awendo Green Stadium)
Sony Sugar are nine matches
without a win and hard questions must surely be doing the rounds in the camp of
this 2006 league champions.
Under pressure Sony coach
Zedekiah Otieno confessed that he has been overwhelmed by long term injuries
picked up earlier in the season, but the Awendo crowd will want nothing short
of victory.
They face a Bandari side on the
upswing with three consecutive wins this leg under experienced coach Twahir
Muhiddin, who has stated his side is good enough to stand on the podium come the
end of the season. On form Bandari have it, but Sony will badly want a win
making for an explosive affair.
Thika United vs Western Stima (Thika County Stadium)
Tim Bryett’s charges are still
reeling from the 2-0 defeat they suffered in the hands of defending champions
Gor Mahia on Wednesday, but Western Stima have gone four matches without
victory.
In fact, the power men are facing
a real danger of dropping out of the top 10 if they lose this match, and Bryett
will make it no easier for them. He told them to come prepared for defeat.
“If you look at how the boys are
playing you will notice this is a formidable side. We have home advantage. I am
sure that we shall record victory,” Bryett said.
Mathare United vs Gor Mahia (Nyayo Stadium)
This match will offer Gor Mahia a
good test ahead of the Cecafa Club Championships in Dar es Salaam later this
month.
But expect the league leaders to
give ample attention to the task at hand as they look to maintain what has so
far has been a storming run this season that has seen them go 17 matches
unbeaten, 14 of them victories.
And they have the firepower in
league lead scorer Michael Olunga, who can’t stop scoring this leg. The explosive
Kenya international will be look to be on the score sheet for the third
consecutive match.
Mathare, always fiery opponents
to Gor Mahia in this, their growing rivalry, will want to ruffle the old enemy,
and why now by breaking their unbeaten run.
Their coach Stanley Okumbi was
very active in the June transfer period roping in old boy Andrew Tololwa, who
scored in his first came as a returnee and Ismail Dunga, both from Tusker.
Expect them to feature prominently.
“We don’t want to look at them as
defending champions, or having an unbeaten record. Ours is to do our best on
the pitch, avoid silly mistakes and hope that this will be enough for us to get
three points because it has been long since we celebrated victory,” Okumbi
warned.
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