The second leg of Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKF-PL) kicks off this weekend with champions Gor Mahia looking to stretch their lead at the top to 10 points when they host Kariobangi Sharks at Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos on Saturday.
The only other league match on Saturday will be a cracker between Kakamega Homeboyz and Bandari at Bukhungu Stadium in Kakamega County.
On Sunday, resurgent AFC Leopards will face Muhoroni Youth at the Jomo Kenyatta International Stadium, Mamboleo, Kisumu County. New Shabana coach Sammy ‘Pamzo’ Omollo faces his first test as the team play bottom-placed Nzoia Sugar on Sunday at Sudi Stadium in Bungoma.
Overall, two matches will be played on Saturday and seven fixtures are on the cards on Sunday.
After the 17 rounds in the first leg, Gor leads the log on 37 points, seven above Nairobi City Stars who host Posta Rangers at Ruaraka Grounds on Sunday. K’Ogalo is also the only team yet to taste defeat in the league.
Gor Mahia coach Johnathan McKinstry says their unbeaten run is here to stay and blamed the lackluster performance in their last game against Posta Rangers on the festive break.
McKinstry is optimistic that they will beat Sharks and widen their commanding lead as they target their 21st title.
“We played them on match day 15 and now we are meeting after two matches. We are expecting another tough game and have to impose ourselves in the contest as we target the three available points,” said McKinstry.
“Training has been good and we are confident to get the best against Sharks,” he added.
The Irishman revealed that Uganda midfielder Rodgers Mugisha will be leaving the club to play professional football in Denmark but his goalpoacher Benson Omalla will not leave for USM Algers.
“Mugisha will be leaving and we can’t stand in the way of a player who has got greener pastures. Benson has no release clause in his contract thus the news he is leaving is not true,” he added.
Omalla leads the goal scoring chart with nine goals but only played 20 minutes in the 1-0 win over Posta Rangers last weekend.
Head-to-head record gives Gor Mahia an edge over Sharks ahead of Saturday's contest. Sharks, under the tutelage of William Muluya have not beaten Gor in the last six matches.
The last time the Slum Boys bagged maximum points against K’Ogalo was on July 21, 2021 when they won 2-1. Sharks are ranked 13th on 18 points.
In Kisumu, Leopards should expect a hostile crowd as intimidating youths from Muhoroni and football fans from the lakeside town will troop to Jomo Kenyatta, to support Muhoroni Youth.
Last weekend, Muhoroni Youth fans and Homa Bay residents played their role as the 12th man as the hosts downed Shabana 1-0 at Raila Odinga Stadium.
It will be the first time Jomo Kenyatta International Stadium will be hosting a topflight league match since being built by the previous regime and opened in May 2021.
“Our motto is ’Impossible is nothing’ and Leopards should not expect anything here, not even a draw. We have to pick the points to move far from the relegation zone,” said Muhoroni Youth coach Charles ‘Ode’ Odera.
Shabana fans will be hoping their team complete a double over bottom-placed Nzoia and give Omollo a winning start. Shabana beat Nzoia Sugar 2-1 in the first leg on November 11 at Raila Odinga Stadium.
“Shabana will get out of where they are. It is not about their huge fan base but because they do not deserve to be there. We just need to do the right things the right way,” said Omolo.
“The good thing about Shabana is that we have been scoring goals. Our major issue has been that of conceding cheap goals. We have to look at the moment in which the team has been conceding and mostly in this case, it has been during the dying minutes of the game. That is psychological and it is one area that I will really work on,” he added.
It will be a battle of the bottom two as Tore Bobe are 17th on 14 points while the sugar millers have 13 points.
Fixtures (All matches kick off at 3pm)
Gor Mahia v Kariobangi Sharks (Kenyatta, Machakos)-on Azam TV
Kakamega Homeboyz v Bandari (Bukhungu, Kakamega)
Bidco United v Kenya Police (Thika, Kiambu)
Tusker v Sofapaka (Kenyatta, Machakos)
Muhoroni Youth v AFC Leopards (Jomo Kenyatta, Kisumu)
Nzoia Sugar v Shabana (Sudi, Bungoma)
Nairobi City Stars v Posta Rangers (Ruaraka Grounds, Nairobi)
Murang’a Seal v Talanta (Sportpesa Arena, Murang’a)
Ulinzi Stars v KCB (Ulinzi Sports Complex, Nairobi)-on Azam TV
