NSL: Kisumu All Stars upbeat over promotion chances

Kisumu All Stars striker John Oruko in a past league action. [Courtesy]

Kisumu All Stars head coach Frank Oduor has said he is confident the team will attain its first ever promotion to the SportPesa Premier League by edging out Green Commandos and Thika United.

The lakeside outfit entertain the Kakamega based students today at Moi Stadium and Oduor has expressed his confidence in the boys to win it for the badge.

“We have undergone a very hard and competitive season where we have gotten extraordinary results over the past months and it has now come to us sealing a promotion slot,” he said.

Relegation-threatened Green Commandos saw off Bidco United 3-0 in their last match and Oduor has urged his charges to be careful to avoid an upset.

“We don’t want to play in the playoffs so we have to win. However, we have to be careful considering Commandos are fighting to stay in the league,” the former AFC Leopards player said.

At Camp Toyoyo, leaders Wazito will be seeking to come back to winning ways when they play hosts Talanta who have not won in their past five matches.

Fred Ambani continues to look on the bright side after Wazito’s 5-3 defeat to Nairobi Stima, insisting there will be no hangover when they face Abdallah Juma’s men.

“Losing to Stima was very painful since they denied us an early qualification berth. Now we have to win the remaining two matches starting with Talanta,” Ambani said.

Wazito currently lead the standings with 75 points, one more than Kisumu and Stima, with two teams assured of automatic promotion and the third team playing a playoff match against Posta Rangers.

“We have to calm down and take each game at a time. The team is overconfident and we should not underrate our opponents if we are to avoid another shocking defeat,” he added.

Nairobi Stima will be looking forward to continuing with their impressive run when they host eighth-placed Shabana at Karuturi grounds.

Yasin Mafuta’s men who are unbeaten in their last seven outings, where they have won six and drew once, will be seeking to continue with their push of avoiding a playoff position finish.

Fourth-placed Ushuru play bottom-placed Kangemi All Stars as Modern Coast Rangers entertain Kenya Police.
In the battle for survival, former premier league outfit Nairobi City Stars will entertain Migori Youth as both teams who are only one point above the relegation zone seek safety.

Thika United, 19, will also seek to get out of the danger zone when they play Bidco United. Only one point separates all the four endangered teams at the bottom and are fighting to win and stay in the super league.
A total of ten matches are on the cards today.

Today's NSL fixtures
Talanta vs Wazito
Nairobi Stima vs Shabana
Kisumu All Stars vs Green Commandos
Modern Coast Rangers vs Kenya Police
Ushuru vs Kangemi All Stars
Coast Stima vs Fortune Sacco
Kibera Black Stars vs St Joseph Youth     
Nairobi City Stars vs Migori Youth
Eldoret Youth vs Administration Police     
Bidco United vs Thika United