Open the way Kericho, Gor Mahia is coming for title
What you need to know:
- Recovering Tusker away to tricky Nzoia in Bungoma.
- K’Ogalo need only avoid defeat against Ulinzi to be confirmed champs.
- K’Ogalo are leading the pack with 63 points, 15 more than their closest challengers Sofapaka after 29 round of games.
Fifteen-time champions Gor Mahia face Ulinzi Stars Saturday afternoon in Kericho needing just a single point to put the 2016 title race to bed and secure an unprecedented 16th league trophy.
K’Ogalo are leading the pack with 63 points, 15 more than their closest challengers Sofapaka after 29 round of games.
The Dylan Kerr-coached side therefore require just one point from their five remaining matches to gain an unassailable 64 points that will guarantee them the trophy they lost to Tusker last season.
It is however unlikely that the former champions will be playing for a mere draw, as Kerr has established himself as a tactician always interested in squeezing the best performance out of his players as opposed to playing it safe just to protect the score line.
“Most clubs opt to play a very defensive game, especially when they are playing against us but I tell my players to always enjoy themselves on the pitch,” Kerr said.
“I like the spirit I see during training and I tell them to maintain as much of it as possible on the pitch. We attack as a unit and also defend as a unit because every player knows when it is time to advance and when it is time to retreat.”
Gor responded to last weekend’s defeat to Mathare United by thrashing Kariobangi Sharks 3-1 in Kisumu on Tuesday, a result that definitely gave them new momentum to close out this league race.
Rwandan Jacques Tuyisenge is the player to watch out for K’Ogalo, as he is currently jointly leading the top scorers’ charts with 12 goals thanks to his splendid hat trick just a few day ago.
LOST TO LEOPARDS
The soldiers on the other hand fell to a 1-0 loss to struggling AFC Leopards on Tuesday, and must dig deep to find the confidence and motivation needed for them to compete well against a side that is all but champions in waiting.
In that match, Ulinzi coach Benjamin Nyangweso had fielded a second string side and was missing first choice goalkeeper James Saruni and veteran striker Stephen Waruru, but he he says they are back ahead of Saturday afternoon’s show down.
“We missed many players in our midweek match and that had a very bad impact on our performance against Leopards. That was a game we could have easily won but we had to do with fringe players.
“This time we have a full strength squad. Geoffrey Kokoyo, Oliver Rutto and Samuel Onyango are all back from suspension and I am confident of a good result on Saturday,” he said.
The first leg meeting between these two teams on July ended 2-2.
At the Sudi Stadium in Bungoma, resurgent Tusker take on Nzoia Sugar as they seek to dislodge Sofapaka from second place on the standings.
FIXTURES
Saturday
Ulinzi Stars v Gor Mahia (Kericho Green Stadium, 3pm)
Nzoia Sugar v Tusker (Sudi Stadium, Bungoma, 3pm)
Sunday
Muhoroni Youth v Kakamega Homeboyz (Muhoroni Grounds, 3pm)
Nakumatt v Bandari (Ruaraka Grounds, 3pm)
Sofapaka v Western Stima (Narok County Stadium, 3pm)
Thika United v Mathare United (Thika sub county Stadium, 3pm)
Monday
Posta Rangers v Zoo Kericho (Ruaraka Grounds, 3pm)
Tuesday
Chemelil Sugar v Sony Sugar (Chemelil Sports Complex, 3pm)
