By GILBERT WANDERA
Today is super Wednesday in the Kenyan Premier League (KPL).
The league resumes after the international break with former champions Sofapaka hosting Mathare United and Gor Mahia taking on Ulinzi Stars in a double header at City Stadium.
Sofapaka coach David Ouma is confident he has worked on his finishing touch something that has denied his side goals in the last two matches.
“Our biggest problem has been scoring goals. We have had two weeks to prepare and remain confident it has been sorted,” said Ouma.
In four matches, Sofapaka have won only once and scored once when they stopped Thika United 1-0 in their season opener. After that, the club shared the spoils with Ulinzi Stars lost 1-0 to Gor Mahia and picked a point against Chemelil Sugar.
It therefore puts a lot of pressure on Sofapaka going into today’s match and their lead striker John Barasa must step out and be counted.
Barasa has been rather quiet and so far is yet to find back of the net, something that is unusual for a player who emerged top scorer last season.
Mathare United coach Stanley Okumbi says he hopes the team’s poor form will motivate them against Sofapaka. The 2008 KPL champions are winless in four matches, having picked three points so far in a not so flattering start.
Okumbi said his charges are looking forward to play against a top side like Sofapaka and coupled with the pressure to win they remain highly motivated.
Tough start
“It has been a tough start no doubt but this can only be a motivation rather than a discouragement for us. We hope, we can turn around our season against Sofapaka,” he said.
Okumbi was forced to rebuild his side from scratch after losing his entire starting line up last season.
Gor Mahia will stretch their unbeaten run to 21 matches if they stop Ulinzi today, something coach Zradvko Logarusic says they are looking forward to.
“We give Ulinzi maximum respect during this match but we are determined to continue with our un-beaten run. Ultimatley, we want to set a new Kenyan record of un-beaten runs,” he said.
In the absence of key players Paul Kiongera and Moses Odhiambo, Logarusic says it is time for Dan Sserunkuma and Rama Salim to lift up the team.
Both Kiongera and Odhiambo are injured and will be out for two weeks. Sserenkuma and Salim were key in helping Gor finish second last season but are yet to hit form this year.
Ulinzi go into this fixture with the pressure of returning to winning ways and would have preferred an ‘easier’ fixture.
