Kenyan Premier League: Gor runaway leaders while Thika United’s 15-year status under threat

Sofapaka coach Sam Ssimbwa. [Stafford Ondego/www.sportpicha.co.ke]

Sofapaka coach: Give up? Not me

Sofapaka coach not giving up on title chase as focus shifts to relegation fight.

Sofapaka coach Sam Ssimbwa is refusing to give up on trying to overtake Gor Mahia even as focus shifts to a relegation dog-fight involving up to seven teams.

Gor Mahia needs only four points from a possible 18 to win a 16th Kenyan Premier League title. At the tail end of the table, Muhoroni Youth, Western Stima, and Thika United are staring down the barrel with Mathare United, AFC Leopards, and Zoo Kericho living within the whirlpool of the big axe.

Theoretically, Western Stima and Thika United will go down if the rest of their struggling peers were to win all their remaining matches.

All Muhoroni Youth need to do is win all their seven matches to beat the drop.

Muhoroni Youth, who have propped the table most of the season, still have to play Sony Sugar away, Zoo Kericho, and AFC Leopards (both at home). Thereafter they will have to face Mathare United (away), Bandari (home), and Kariobangi Sharks (away) before concluding their season at home against Kakamega Homeboyz on November 18.

Thika United, who have been in the Kenyan top flight since 2002, have found themselves in a sticky relegation battle and now have five matches to preserve their status.

Two to be relegated

The Thika-based club can accumulate a maximum of 43 points and hope the results of other equally relegation-threatened teams favour them. They have yet to play Bandari (home), Zoo Kericho (away), Sony Sugar (home), Tusker (away), and Mathare United (home).

KPL CEO Jack Oguda confirmed two teams will be relegated at the end of the season irrespective of whether the High Court sitting from November 3 rules in favour of a 16 or 18-team league. The intriguing quote of the weekend, however, came from the coach of second-placed Sofapaka, Sam Ssimbwa, who said anything is possible.

“If we cannot fight to overhaul Gor Mahia then we can then conclude the season,” Ssimbwa said in the wake of Gor Mahia’s defeat to Mathare United on Saturday.

“I know Gor are clever. They have smelt the trophy but we at Sofapaka are fighters. I came to Sofapaka so we can challenge for the title and that is exactly what we are doing. Otherwise we shouldn’t be playing.”

Sofapaka beat Bandari 2-1 at the weekend and will collect a maximum of 63 points from their remaining five fixtures.

Ssimbwa said: “The technical staff has done a lot to re-engineer Sofapaka to be just happy to compete. The mentality of the players, technical and tactical approach to matches and their attitude has changed. So expect Sofapaka to chase after Gor Mahia until it is over.”