Eyes on Oilers and Nondies as Kenya Cup playoffs kick off

Bildad Ogeta (left) of Menengai Oilers battles for the ball with of Blak Blad during the Kenya Cup Match played at Nakuru ASK show ground on February 19,2022.[Kipsang Joseph,Standard]

Menengai Oilers will host Kenyatta University’s Blak Blad in the semi-final playoffs on Saturday in ASK Nakuru Showgrounds as they seek to qualify for the Kenya Cup finals for the second time in their history.

Oilers finished third in the regular 2023-2024 Kenya Cup season behind defending champions Kabras Sugar and KCB Rugby to qualify for the playoffs with the highlight of the season being their stunning 21-7 win over KCB.

The playoff between Oilers and Blak Blad will mark the seventh meeting between the two sides.

In their last six meetings, Oilers have won four, drawn one and lost one match.

This season, the Nakuru based side narrowly saw off the university students 23-19 and they will be seeking to maintain their dominance and proceed to the semis where KCB lie waiting once again.

In 2022, Geoffrey Ominde converted eight penalties as Menengai Oilers knocked out the then Kenya Cup defending champions KCB 24-17 in to qualify for the finals which they lost to Kabras Sugar in Kakamega.

In Nairobi, Nondescripts who were playing in the second-tier KRU Championship last season will be seeking to extend their impressive comeback run by qualifying for the semis ahead of their playoff date with Kenya Harlequin.

The match will be a repeat of the regular season ender where Nondies came from behind 13-6 at the half to win 21-13. The winner of the tie will face off against defending champions Kabras in Kakamega.