Kabras Sugar eye eighth straight Kenya Cup final

Hillary Mwajilwa (right) in action against Menengai Oilers.[Washington Onyango,Standard]

Defending champion Kabras Sugar will be seeking to qualify for their eighth Kenya Cup final ahead of their semifinal bout against Kenya Harlequin on Saturday at Kakamega Sportsgrounds.

The two-time champions will welcome Quins who return to the semifinal playoffs for the first time since 2019.

Kabras finished the regular season with a 100% win record, beating all opposition to finish top of the log as they aim for an eighth successive cup final appearance and third league title.

The sugar men have been far above their opponents throughout the campaign but will need to guard against complacency when they take on Quins.

During the just ended regular season, Kabras Sugar edged out Quins for the sixth successive time 27-17 in Kakamega.

This is the second time the two sides meet in the Kenya Cup semis, their previous meeting ending in a 19-15 win for Kabras as they marched on to the 2016 title. Kabras also lead the head-to-head record with nine wins and two losses in their previous 11 meetings.

Kabras Sugar's Alfred Orege (right) sprints past Menengai Oilers players during a past Kenya Cup match.[Washington Onyango,Standard]

However, Quins will not be easy pushover after pulling what many cannot do in a span of one year. Last season, Quins survived relegation by a whisker and this year they are in the playoffs.

They began their campaign with three straight losses but their turnaround under first term coach Paul Murunga has been nothing short of extraordinary.

The RFUEA based side have gone from also rans to semifinalists and will be out to give the defending champions a run for their money before a highly passionate and vocal crowd in Kakamega.

It will be recalled that their last win over Kabras was during a regular season fixture way back in 2017, a 19-13 result on the day.