LEOPARDS TO TEST STIMA LIVEWIRE: Gor face Nzoia, Zetech students to taste Tusker’s tipple in GOtv matches

AFC Leopards will take on Western Stima in the second round of their GOtv shield tournament after both sides won their weekend matches.

Leopards edged out Kakamega Homeboyz 2-0 while Stima had a relatively easy fixture against Fresha which they won 4-0.

While Stima have never won the tournament, AFC Leopards last won the event in 2013. Both sides have no hope of winning the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) title and will therefore give the tournament their all as they hope to end the season with some silverware.

Stima have been in top form in the GOtv where they have so far netted a total of 11 goals. They beat SS Assad 7-0 in their opening round.

KPL champions Gor Mahia have a relatively tricky fixture as they have been drawn against National Super League (NSL) side Nzoia United in the round of 16.

Gor Mahia edged out Nairobi Stima 2-0 after Enock Agwanda and Meddie Kagere scored a goal each.

Nzoia Sugar qualified after edging out Kiambu All Stars 2-0. The Bungoma side are enjoying a good season in the lower tier league as they are currently second on the log and look set to make it to the KPL next year.

The other round of 16 fixture that is likely to be exciting is the match pitting Chemelil Sugar against Ulinzi Stars.

Ulinzi Stars edged out Muhoroni Youth 2-0 in an all KPL fixture at the weekend while Chemelil sent home fellow KPL side Nairobi City Stars 3-2.

The soldiers are likely to pay more attention to the Cup competition in their quest for silverware this season considering that winning the KPL title remains a tall order.

Elsewhere, unlike previous years, there have so far not been any surprise results in the GOtv shield.

Furthermore, only one KPL side Mathare United skipped this year’s tournament perhaps an indication of the seriousness that top sides are attaching to the competition.

Apart from the KPL, the GOtv shield is the only other tournament by which local teams have an opportunity to represent the country at the continental stage as winners make it to the Confederations Cup. All KPL sides pitted against lower league teams easily made it to the second round.

GOtv defending champions Bandari were the first KPL side to make it to the last 16 after edging out Nakumatt 2-1 on Friday. It was a repeat of last year’s final and the shoppers were expected to revenge.

A late goal by David Kingatua ended Nakumatt’s fight as it cancelled out Chris Wekesa equaliser and sent Bandari to the last 16. The porters had opened the scores through Michael Apudo.

With chances of winning the KPL diminished for Bandari, clinching the GOtv shield and the Sh2million prize money remains their only hope for silverware this season. Tusker and Western Stima also had it easy against lower opposition sides.