Shorthanded Bandari face tricky Chemelil test

Injury-hit Bandari will be looking to climb back to the top of the SportPesa Premier League table when they visit Chemelil Sugar Saturday afternoon.

Bandari, who fell 2-0 to Sony Sugar on Wednesday in Awendo, cross over to Chemelil Sports Complex without six key players.

Goalkeeper Mustapha Oduor, defender Bernard Odhiambo, Ugandan left back Fred Nkata, striker Wycliffe Ochomo, midfielders Wilberforce Lugogo and David King’atua are all out injured. First choice goalkeeper Farouk Shikhalo is also away with the national team.

Victory for the dockers will lift them top of the 18-team table on 35 points, two ahead of Sofapaka who are not in action this weekend.

“After back-to-back losses it's a chance to bounce back but I know it won't be easy because we are playing against a team that wants to move further towards safety,” said Mwalala, whose side has lost seven matches and drawn five times in the previous 16 meetings against Chemelil, said.

“I have told my players that the losses shouldn't be anything to make them panic. We’ve to remain calm and play well,” said the former Nzoia Sugar tactician.
Elsewhere, relegation threatened AFC Leopards host ninth-placed Western Stima in Machakos.

Stima have a better head-to-head coming into this game with nine wins in 19 matches against the 13-time champions - who lost 1-0 to Sofapaka in the last engagement.

Leopards have managed only six wins with four games ending in a draw.

Stima coach Paul Ogai is under pressure to halt a five-match winless run after a 2-0 drubbing against Chemelil Sugar in their last match.

On Sunday, Posta Rangers will be at home to entertain Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) at Kenyatta stadium in Machakos. The mailmen have dropped Wycliffe Kasaya, Levis Opiyo, Wesley Onguso, Ray Omondi and Brian Juma.

The match will see John Kamau and KCB assistant coach Sammy “Pamzo” Omollo — who’ve previously worked together at Posta Rangers, face-off for the first time.

Posta are winless against the bankers who have three wins in the past seven meetings and four draws.

"We are in the process of beefing up our squad so that we can put in better performance in the second leg," said Posta coach John Kamau.

"The first leg target was set by the previous coach (Sammy Omollo) but I'm building a new mentality for the final leg."

FIXTURES (all kick-offs at 3pm)

Saturday

Chemelil Sugar v Bandari (Chemelil Sports Complex)

AFC Leopards v Western Stima (Kenyatta stadium)

Sunday

Posta Rangers v KCB (Kenyatta stadium)