Leopards battle Thika, Tusker face Bandari
What you need to know:
- Muhoroni are at home against Nakumatt on Wednesday.
- Sharks battle Posta Rangers as Tusker travel to Mombasa to tackle Bandari.
Troubled AFC Leopards take on relegation-threatened Thika United on Wednesday in a tricky SportPesa Premier League match at the Thika Sub-County Stadium.
At the Mbaraki Sports Club in Mombasa, champions Tusker will be hoping to build on their two successive league wins over Zoo Kericho and Mathare United when they take on Bandari while high-flying Kariobangi Sharks battle Posta Rangers at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
Relegation battlers Muhoroni Youth will be out to halt a poor run when they tackle crisis-hit Nakumatt at Muhoroni Grounds.
In Thika, Leopards begin life without midfielder Allan Kateregga who parted ways with the club following his widely publicised tiff with coach Robert Matano during their 1-0 loss to Bandari last month.
Kateregga, who has scored two of Leopards’ 17 goals so far, announced his departure yesterday morning. The dreadlocked midfielder has now joined Ugandan champions KCCA (Kampala Capital City Authority) on loan.
On the pitch, Matano appears to have settled on Alexis Kitenge, Vincent Oburu and Samuel Ndung’u to lead his side’s hunt for goals, and the attacking trio is expected to start again in Thika.
Leopards, 14th on the standings with 28 points from 24 matches, battle a Thika side that is just six points behind them and fighting the chop. Matano knows the importance of this clash as a slip could get his charges sucked up in the relegation quagmire if they don’t improve.
“People have to change their mentality in this club. Discipline is very important because if you are not disciplined, you cannot even show up in time for training,” said Matano in relation to Kateregga’s departure.
“There is no small opponent and we are taking the match against Thika very seriously. We are going there to get a win, just like every club approaches the opponent with the aim of winning.”
Thika come into this match on the back of a barren draw against league leaders Gor Mahia on Sunday, and they will fancy their chances against leopards, who also drew 0-0 with Kakamega Homeboyz on the same day.
The Thika-based side has been struggling with the absence of injured striker Onwudi Chibueze which has forced coach Nicholas Muyoti to continue to deploy Shami Kibwana as a lone striker.
“I have never been worried about relegation. I know and believe that we shall not go down that road. We are not doing that badly by the way, it is only that we need to work harder in terms of finishing and ensure that we win as many home games as possible,” Muyoti said.
FIXTURES
Wednesday
AFC Leopards v Thika United (Thika Sub-county Stadium, 3pm)
Bandari v Tusker (Mbaraki Grounds, Mombasa, 3pm)
Kariobangi Sharks v Posta Rangers (Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, 3pm)
Muhoroni Youth v Nakumatt (Muhoroni Grounds)
