Thika United head coach Nicholas Muyoti gives instructions to his team at half time during their match against AFC Leopards on September 20 2017. Photo/TIMOTHY OLOBULU
NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 22- Thika United are increasingly moving closer to the danger of their first ever relegation from the Kenyan Premier League, currently sitting at 16th in the standings with 22 points, six away from safety with nine rounds of matches left.
Head coach Nicholas Muyoti is however, wearing a brave face that his young side will manage to survive and has pegged his hope on giving a 100 percent effort in seven of the remaining nine games of the season.
“I have not given up hope and I remain confident that we will be able to get good results and avoid relegation. We have done well so far and the only problem is that we have not been scoring. If only we can improve on that, then we will be good to go,” Muyoti said.
The Thika based side will be making the short trip to Nairobi where they are scheduled to face Posta Rangers at the Ruaraka Complex on Saturday afternoon with high hope of breaking a five match winless streak.
Thika United head coach Nicholas Muyoti watches on the touchline during his side’s Kenyan Premier League clash against Gor Mahia at the Thika Sub-County Stadium on September 17, 2017. PHOTO/Raymond Makhaya
They welcome back Nigerian forward Onwudi Chibueze who has missed almost three months of action with injury and the presence of the imposing forward is expected to give Thika a massive lift.
They come up against a Posta side which has failed to win in their last eight games, picking up three consecutive draws.
The first leg between the two sides at the Thika Stadium ended in a 2-2 stalemate and Muyoti expects an even tougher assignment when they lock horns in Nairobi. Of the last nine matches played between the two sides, Thika has won only twice.
Of the four times the two sides have met in Nairobi, Thika has lost thrice and won once, leaving the odds hugely stacked against them.
Meanwhile, in the late kick off, Mathare United will come up against the side that has subjected them to their biggest loss this season, Ulinzi Stars. The soldiers smacked Mathare 5-1 in the first leg in Nakuru and they meet exactly five months since that huge loss.
The Slum Boys are stuck in the relegation zone, their back-to-back losses against Kariobangi Sharks and Tusker FC pulling them to 15th spot on 25 points, three away from safety.
Mathare United head coach Francis Kimanzi ponders on the touchline during his side’s Kenyan premier league clash against AFC Leopards at the Nyayo Stadium on June 17, 2017. PHOTO/Raymond Makhaya
However, head coach Francis Kimanzi retains his stance that Mathare will not be dragged into the second tier and is confident they will pick maximum points by earning revenge against Ulinzi.
The soldiers will not be taking the match lightly as they also have title ambitions of their own, partly pushed by the fact they can narrow the gap with leaders Gor if they win both their matches at hand.
Head coach Benjamin Nyangweso does not expect to have an easy tie against Mathare.
“I know they will be coming for revenge after that loss in Nakuru. We are heading into this match very cautiously because above all, Mathare is one of the most tactical teams in the league. We want to narrow down the gap with the leaders and so three points will be important,” Nyangweso offered.
The military side will be buoyed by the return of midfielder Daniel Waweru who missed the last match against Posta Rangers with a knock. However, left back Omar Mbongi who dislocated his shoulder during the military games in Burundi remains sidelined.
Ulinzi are 14 points behind leaders Gor Mahia and with a win, they can narrow down the gap to 11 pending their two un-played matches, one of which is against K’Ogalo.
-Gor v Tusker-
Gor held by Tusker 0-0 to drop second in the Kenyan Premier League
The league leaders will be away in Kericho taking on a resurgent Tusker FC who have managed to rise back all the way to third after three wins on the trot.
The Brewers were slowly sinking down the rankings but have managed to move to within nine points of the leaders though they have played a match more.
“We have not given up on the title and especially now that we are playing against the leaders, winning will be very key for us. If we can get three points, the gap comes down to six points and you never know what might happen upfront. We are going there to give our best and get three points,” Tusker head coach George Nsimbe says.
Gor’s Dylan Kerr walks into the match on the backdrop of a pretty decent run that has seen him drop points only twice, the latest being last weekend’s barren draw with Thika United.
Kerr anticipates a tough tie against the defending champions but has called on his charges to pull up their effort especially upfront and ensure they win.
The record 15-time champions will be ‘fresher’ compared to Tusker who will be playing their fifth match in 10 days. Gor were not involved in midweek while Tusker travelled to Mombasa to take on Bandari where they won 3-0.
The first leg tie ended 0-0. Overall, from the last 18 matches played between the two sides, Gor has won seven of them, Tusker winning four while the remaining seven ended in draws. Meetings between the two sides have been goal shy with a total of 21 goals only scored in the ties.
KPL weekend fixtures;
Saturday: Posta Rangers v Thika United (2 p.m.), Mathare United v Ulinzi Stars (Ruaraka Complex, 4 p.m.), Kakamega Homeboyz v Sofapaka (Mumias), Gor Mahia v Tusker FC (Moi Stadium, Kisumu).
Sunday: Bandari v Chemelil Sugar (Mbaraki), Western Stima v Nakumatt (Moi Stadium, Kisumu), Zoo Kericho v Nzoia Sugar (Kericho).
