Bandari, Tusker profit from walkovers
Bandari players line up ahead of kick-off of their Kenya Premier League match against Chemelil Sugar at Mbaraki Sports Club in Mombasa on October 19, 2019. Bandari were awarded a walkover after Chemelil Sugar failed to turn up. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT |
What you need to know:
- Chemelil Sugar club officials had failed to attend the pre-match meeting and come 3pm the team was not at the match venue
- Centre referee Felix Ekai waited for the visitors at Mbaraki for 30 minutes before awarding Bandari the game on a 2-0 basis
- Earlier in Machakos, Sony Sugar were a no-show at Kenyatta Stadium for their away fixture against Tusker
Chemelil Sugar Saturday became the second team to give a walkover in Kenyan Premier League this season after failing to turn up for their Round Six match against Bandari at Mbaraki Sports Club.
Chemelil Sugar club officials had failed to attend the pre-match meeting and come 3pm the team was not at the match venue.
Centre referee Felix Ekai waited for the visitors at Mbaraki for 30 minutes before awarding Bandari the game on a 2-0 basis.
Bandari coach Bernard Mwalala said they would have preferred to earn the three points. “We know we’ll get the three points but we wanted to beat Chemelil in the field not being awarded the match as a walkover,” said Mwalala.
Mwalala appealed to the government, Football Kenya Federation and KPL to urgently meet and sort out the financial crisis in the top tier.
“Stakeholders including the government, FKF and KPL should come together to deliberate on ways of sorting out financial problems which have forced some teams not to honour their away matches,” said Mwalala.
Earlier in Machakos, Sony Sugar were a no-show at Kenyatta Stadium for their away fixture against Tusker. This leaves the Awendo-based side on the brink of relegation should they forfeit another league match.
