Gor look to extend lead: K’Ogalo lead standings with two points, and have three matches at hand

Gor Mahia FC's Jaques Tuyisenge control ball during the first leg match of the CAF Confederations Cup play-offs against SuperSport United FC of South Africa at Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos County on Sunday 8, 2018. Gor Mahia beat SA 1-0. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

League champions face Chemelil Sugar in Kericho today.

The Kenyan Premier League has not even reached the halfway mark, but defending champions Gor Mahia can as well start early celebrations.

K’Ogalo play away to Chemelil Sugar at Kericho Green Stadium today, determined to stretch their lead at the top as it starts to look almost inevitable that the league champions will retain the title.

With three matches at hand, Gor Mahia are perched at the top of the KPL standings with 25 points, two more than second-placed Mathare United.

Should they win the three matches, starting with the tie in Kericho today, they will will build an 11-point lead at the top of the log, as the way the champions have been playing makes it difficult for any team to catch up with them.

Former AFC Leopards and Thika United coach James Nandwa admitted that it would be difficult for any team to catch up with the league champions.

“One of the things that has helped Gor Mahia is being consistent. They have had the same players for a long time and have a good coach who easily relates with the players,” Nandwa said.

However, he added that there was bound to be an improvement in most of the teams following SportPesa’s announcement that they were back as the league title sponsors.

“Most teams were affected by lack of finances as they could not pay their players, but with the return of SportPesa, things are bound to change as teams will now get money to pay players and the performance is set to improve,” he said.

Gor Mahia go into the match in Kericho on the back of a good run of results, the latest being the 5-2 demolition of Thika United on Sunday in Machakos. They are the only unbeaten team in the KPL, having won eight matches and drawn just once. Meddie Kagere and Jacques Tuyisenge will lead Gor Mahia’s quest for goals.

Elsewhere, AFC Leopards and Kariobangi Sharks complete today’s midweek fixture at Thika County Stadium.

Both sides will be hoping to turn around a bad run that has dogged them in the past three weeks.

Leopards lost to Bandari on Saturday in Mbaraki while Sharks were fished out 2-1 by Kakamega Homeboyz.