Gor Mahia took a major step towards an unprecedented 21st Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKF-PL) title with yet another fine display and victory at the weekend.
K'Ogalo's 3-1 win over the league debutantes at SportPesa Arena on the outskirts of Murang’a left the Green Army needing three wins and a draw to clinch this year's title.
Gor, who have six games left, have garnered 60 points, nine ahead of second-placed Kenya Police, who came from a goal down to beat Kakamega Homeboyz 2-1 at Mumias Complex in Kakamega County on Sunday.
The law enforcers currently have a goal difference of plus15 while Gor have plus 24, which also plays to the advantage of the defending champions should the two teams tie at the end of the season.
After the win against Murang'a Seal, Gor Mahia coach Johnathan McKinstry said the league title was theirs to lose. "The game against Seal was a tough and with just a few matches remaining, I have told the boys to be more focused on winning it early. We should now be focused more than ever and deliver as we have always done. We don't need to relax," McKinstry, 38, said.
Gor's next stop in their quest for another title will be at Kisumu when they host Shabana on Saturday.
Gor will then play KCB, relegation-battling Muhoroni Youth, Sofapaka, and lowly ranked FC Talanta, before finishing the season against Bidco United.
Kenya Police coach Salim Babu last week said the title race is already in Gor's favour, but their target was to win their remaining games.
Babu's eyes are firmly fixed on the MozzartBet Cup semi-finals, where they face AFC Leopards on May 26.
On paper, Police face a trickier run-in. They have Nairobi City Stars, AFC Leopards, Tusker, Murang'a Seal, Bandari and Kariobangi Sharks in their remaining fixtures in the league.
All their opponents are currently in the top 10 in the league standings except Murang’a Seal, who are 11th.
As Gor and Kenya Police tussle for the title, two players from their squads are also in a tight fight for the Golden Boot.
Leading goal scorer Benson Omala has netted 14 goals for K'Ogalo, while Tito Okello has 13. Omala bagged a brace over the weekend against Seal, while Okello scored one against Homeboyz.
At the tail end, Shabana's 1-0 win over Sofapaka took them out of the red zone on 28 points as Muhoroni Youth slumped to the second-last position on 26 points.
