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Tusker FC head coach Robert Matano dishes out instructions during his side's match against KCB on May 15, 2021 at the Ruaraka Complex. PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu

Football

Crunch time in BetKing Premier League as Tusker drop points, AFC Leopards close in

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 18 – With points deducted following the relegation of Zoo Kericho by FIFA, BetKing Premier League leaders Tusker FC saw their lead at the top of the standings cut down to two points following their barren draw with KCB and AFC Leopards’ victory over Nzoia Sugar at Ruaraka on Saturday.

With the league getting to the halfway point, Tusker sit at the top with 34 points while AFC Leopards who have not won the league title since 1998 are breathing on their necks with a two point buffer and a match in hand over the league leaders.

Tusker boss Robert Matano is however unperturbed despite seeing his side’s erstwhile healthy lead being cut out and maintains that his team’s eyes remain pegged on clinching the title at the end of the season.

“We are just in the first leg and we have finished top. Now we have to move forward into the second half of the season. Pressure is on everyone, not just us. We have to contain the pressure on our side and make sure we improve in the next game,” the tactician stated.

The brewers last won the league title in 2016 and pressure will be on coach Matano to deliver the title at Ruaraka in his third season since a second coming at the club.

-Leopards keen to break 23-year wait

But for Leopards, the results over the weekend boosts them with more confidence that they can break a 23 year wait for the title though coach Patrick Aussems remains modest on his team’s charge for the crown.

“Being top at the half point of the season is not important. What is important is where we will be at the end of the season. What is impressive is that we are almost at the top but we still have a lot to improve on,” the coach stated.

Ingwe were 1-0 winners over Nzoia Sugar in a match that the tactician believes they should have scored more, but the sugar millers were equally guilty of missed opportunities.

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But, Aussems believes the three points gathered at Ruaraka will be necessary to propel them into a good second leg.

-Gor Mahia keen to narrow gap

Meanwhile, defending champions Gor Mahia narrowed the gap between them and the leaders to 12 points with a two-match deficit between them and Tusker.

K’Ogalo have been a pale shadow of themselves this season and though it seems a daunting task for them to catch up with the leaders, coach Carlos Manuel vaz Pinto has decided on a game-by-game approach.

“For us, we are thinking game by game. We are just looking at our team and how we perform and not look at others. I believe if we can do our job well, we can achieve good things at the end of the season,” the coach stated.

He knows it will be difficult to bridge the gap, but has called on his players to put in professional performances in the remaining games of the campaign.

-Sharks title contenders?

Meanwhile, Kariobangi Sharks also showed their title credentials with a 1-0 win over Kakamega Homeboyz taking them to third in the standings with 31 points, three behind the leaders.

Coach William Muluya is categorical that his team will do their best to ensure they remain at the top reiterating that this season, their ambition was to vie for the top spot.

-Relegation battle

Meanwhile, the battle at the bottom is equally intense. With Zoo Kericho already relegated, there is only one automatic drop zone spot left.

Mathare United earned a vital point that will earn them a push to start competing for points to scale up after playing to a barren draw with fellow strugglers Vihiga United.

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Mathare sit bottom of the log with seven points and have a mountainous task ahead to scale up with Vihiga (15) and Western Stima (17) on 12 points.

“Though small, the draw is a step in the right direction. I said before the game that we consider it a new campaign and that we will not dwell on what happened prior to the two-month break,” coach Salim Ali said after the game.

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