Golden boot race in focus as KPL concludes

By  CELLESTINE OLILO

What you need to know:

  • The fight for the top scorers gong will be decided once and for all and it is Allan Wanga, Umaru Kasumba and Enosh Ochieng who are front runners to win it.
  • The three, who play for Kakamega Homeboyz, Sofapaka and Ulinzi Stars respectively, have been tied in a neck-to-neck race for the better part of the season, which has come down to the very last match.

The 2018/19 SportPesa Premier League season concludes this afternoon and all attention will be concentrated on the Golden Boot race.

The league title race was put to bed 10 days ago by current champions Gor Mahia who attained an unassailable 70 points with two games left to play.

Vihiga United and Mount Kenya United already lost the relegation battle, and they will compete in the National Super League starting next season.

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The only aspect yet to be determined in the battle against relegation is the team that will finish in the bottom third spot.

Posta Rangers, Zoo Kericho and Chemelil Sugar are all in that nervy fight to avoid finishing in 15th position with whoever finishing in that positon set to play against the team that finishes third in the National Super League to determine whether or not they remain in the top flight.

Zoo and Posta are tied on 32 points, while Chemelil has 31 and whichever team loses their games Wednesday afternoon will finish in the third last spot and will therefore be subjected to a two-legged playoff, most likely against Ushuru who are currently third in the NSL standings.

The fight for the top scorers gong will be decided once and for all and it is Allan Wanga, Umaru Kasumba and Enosh Ochieng who are front runners to win it.

The three, who play for Kakamega Homeboyz, Sofapaka and Ulinzi Stars respectively, have been tied in a neck-to-neck race for the better part of the season, which has come down to the very last match.

Wanga has collected 18 goals for Homeboyz, while Kasumba and Enosh have 17 each for Sofapaka and Ulinzi Stars.

Coaches of all three teams have promised to unleash these forwards as they battle for the top honours which nowadays come with a Sh500,000 cash award beside a trophy.

Ulinzi Stars will be up against already relegated Mount Kenya, while Homeboyz will lock horns with Sofapaka in a match that will bring together Kasumba and Wanga in an epic fight for the golden boot.

Kasumba will come into the match motivated by the chance to play in Germany where he has been invited for trials, while Wanga will come motivated by his recent call up to the national team’s squad for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

“Everyone at Ulinzi would like to see him (Enosh) win the gong so I shall give him the chance to play and I’m sure his team matches will give him the support he requires. He is so close and I hope that he will maintain composure and score for us because I know it will be a very tense match even for him,” said Ulinzi coach Benjamin Nyangweso.

FIXTURES

Western Stima v AFC Leopards (Moi Stadium, Kisumu, 2pm)

Nzoia Sugar v Bandari (Sudi Stadium, 2pm)

Sofapaka v Kakamega Homeboyz (Mbaraki Sports Club, 2pm)

Gor Mahia v Mathare United (Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos, 2pm)

Ulinzi Stars v Mount Kenya United (Afraha Stadium, 2pm)

Western Stima v AFC Leopards (Moi Stadium, Kisumu, 2pm)

Nzoia Sugar v Bandari (Sudi Stadium, 2pm)

Gor Mahia v Mathare United (Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos, 2pm)

Ulinzi Stars v Mount Kenya United (Afraha Stadium, 2pm)

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