Leopards battle Bandari in Machakos
What you need to know:
- Second-placed Sofapaka will play struggling Sony in Awendo hoping for a win to push them to within six points of K'Ogalo.
AFC Leopards' forward Ezekiel Odera has talked up his team's chances of picking up maximum points in Saturday afternoon's SportPesa Premier League clash versus an in-form Bandari.
This contest, slated for the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos, is arguably the pick of the seven fixtures lined up in the competition this weekend and has been dominated by social media banter and mind games from the opposing camps.
Meanwhile, runaway leaders Gor Mahia —who currently are competing at the regional Cecafa Kagame Cup in Tanzania — are not in action this weekend but nevertheless with a nine-point advantage at the summit of standings, their tenure at the top is not under any remote threat.
At the same time, second-placed Sofapaka will play struggling Sony in Awendo hoping for a win to push them to within six points of K'Ogalo.
This as bottom-placed Wazito, who are winless in their past five outings, square out with a fast fading Mathare United at the Camp Toyoyo grounds in Nairobi.
Odera, meanwhile, asserts his team has what it takes to pick maximum points against the dockers who currently managed by youthful coach Bernard Mwalala.
"We have prepared well and are confident (of winning). I don't see much in them to make us scared," said Odera, who boasts a nine-goal haul in the league this season.
Bandari - who triumphed in the first leg meeting between these two teams - have also won in four of their last five matches in the league, including that solitary goal triumph over Kakamega Homeboyz in Mwalala's bow last weekend.
Ingwe have managed three wins in five.
In Awendo, defeat for 16th placed Sony Sugar will push them closer to the relegation.
Even without injured Ugandan forward Umar Kasumba who faces six weeks out, Sofapaka coach still boasts an array of attacking talent to trouble the sugar millers namely Pistone Mutamba, Kepha Aswani, Stephen Waruru and new signing Mico Justin from Rwanda.
FIXTURES
Saturday
Mathare v Wazito - Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos - 2pm
Kakamega Homeboyz v Thika - Bukhungu Stadium, Kakamega - 3pm
Kariobangi Sharks v Tusker - Camp Toyoyo grounds, Nairobi - 3pm
AFC Leopards v Bandari - Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos - 4:15pm
Sunday
Nakumatt v Zoo Kericho - Camp Toyoyo grounds, Nairobi - 2pm
Chemelil Sugar v Nzoia - Chemelil Complex - 3pm
Sony Sugar v Sofapaka - Awendo Green Stadium - 3pm
Vihiga v Ulinzi Stars - Mumias Sports Complex - 3pm
