Gor Mahia take on Muhoroni in Kisumu

What you need to know:

  • The sugar millers, who are placed rock bottom in the league standings having won just three of their 17 matches, are desperate to get themselves out of the red zone.
  • Muhoroni have only one win in their last 10 league meetings against Gor Mahia.
  • Muhoroni approach Saturday’s match well aware that history is not on their side.

Leaders Gor Mahia have a chance of extending their lead atop the SportPesa Premier League table when they take on relegation battling Muhoroni Youth on Saturday at the Moi Stadium in Kisumu.

The sugar millers, who are placed rock bottom in the league standings having won just three of their 17 matches, are desperate to get themselves out of the red zone.

But with only one win in their last 10 league meetings against Gor Mahia, Muhoroni approach Saturday’s match well aware that history is not on their side.

Muhoroni’s internal troubles – with head coach Gilbert Selebwa quitting a few days ago to take up the team manager’s role at AFC Leopards and club chairman Moses Adagala banned for four months for gross misconduct – leave the club in a deeper crisis.

It’sK’Ogalo who first sent Muhoroni to the basement of the table two weeks ago after handing them a 2-0 defeat in Kisumu.

Following Selebwa’s exit, the club hastily reinstated assistant coach James Omondi back to the helm.

Omondi now readies his charges, largely inexperienced following the departure of key players at the beginning of the season due to contractual disputes, for the match that could potentially deal their survival chances a major blow.

“It is a difficult match I agree, and it is made even more difficult by the fact that the players have trained for just a few days after the General Election break. We shall however try our best as always to find their weak areas and exploit them to our benefit,” Omondi said.

Gor Mahia seem to have rediscovered their form at the right time and have opened a four-point gap at the summit with a game in hand. A win over Muhoroni today will take them seven points clear if second-placed Posta Rangers fall to Chemelil Sugar in their match at the Chemelil Sports Complex.

In-form forward George “Blackberry” Odhiambo, who has earned a call up to the national team after years in the cold, is expected to partner Rwandan duo Jacques Tuyisenge and Meddie Kagere upfront as coach Dylan Kerr hopes to keep his 100 percent start to life in the Kenyan league intact.

“There are no simple matches for us here at Gor Mahia. We are the team to beat and I know Muhoroni will come fuelled by the desire for revenge. It will not be easy,” Kerr told Nation Sport on Friday.

MATHRE, ZOO CLASH

At the Ruaraka grounds, shorthanded 2008 champions Mathare United will be seeking to get vital points when they take on Zoo Kericho as the race to beat the chop intensifies.

Mathare coach Francis Kimanzi will however have to do without injured stars Samuel Olwande, Daniel Mwaura, Alphonce Ndonye, Brian Nyakan and Martin Ongori.
At the Narok Stadium, former champions Sofapaka battle debutantes Nakumatt while Thika United welcome high-flying Nzoia Sugar at the Thika Sub-County Stadium on Saturday.

Saturday:

Chemelil Sugar v Posta Rangers (Chemelil Sports Complex, 3pm)

Sofapaka v Nakumatt (Narok, 1pm)

Muhoroni Youth v Gor Mahia (Kisumu, 3pm)

Thika United v Nzoia Sugar (Thika sub-county Stadium, 3pm)