Gor Mahia pray for Leopards favour against Tusker

After humiliating their archrivals AFC Leopards 2-0 in the latest Mashemeji Derby, the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) champions are counting on the old enemy to do them a huge one and derail Tusker FC from dethroning them this weekend.

With two games to go, K’Ogalo who have held on to the crown for the last three seasons postponed title celebrations in Ruaraka by beating Mathare United 2-1 on Sunday to maintain a four-point gap from the summit on 51.

Ahead of their final day showdown with the brewers on November 19 the Green Army supporters of Gor have already started petitioning their ‘Mashemeji’ (In-Laws) online for a huge favour when they play Tusker on Saturday.

Victory for Paul Nkata’s side will see the Tusker crowned champions for the first time since 2012 and a 10th occasion in their history, closing in on Leopards who are on 12 with Gor further out in front with 15.

On the other end of the spectrum, Nairobi City Stars bade farewell to the KPL after being hammered 3-1 by Kakamega Homeboyz with Sofapaka FC who embarrassed Leopards 3-2 in Machakos on Friday and Ushuru FC who drew 0-0 left in the survival fight.

The taxmen are 15th on 25, three ahead of the 2009 champions who are enjoying a late surge to remain in the KPL.

Mathare were the toughest hurdle for Gor in the last three fixtures but the convincing win left K’Ogalo oozing with confidence that Muhoroni Youth can be silenced too before taking on Tusker on the final day.

“We have to do our job in the next match and wait for what Tusker will do against AFC Leopards. They (Leopards) have to play like big a big team in that match and I’m sure they will do it.

“Muhoroni beat us in the Top 8 final, so we know what to expect, we have to beat them,” charged Gor coach, Marcelo ‘Ze Maria’ Ferreira.

“We are relaxed, no pressure at all. We played well from the start and when your team plays like this you feel relaxed,” he answered, asked if he was under pressure ahead the penultimate round when their fate could be sealed.

Sony Sugar failed to a penalty against Tusker in their 1-0 home loss on Saturday a miss that was cursed all the way in Nairobi where K’Ogalo waited to play Mathare a day later.

“I said I want to win the league when I joined Tusker from Muhoroni. We are so close to it, I’m thankful because everyone has kept the focus and believe we will do it.

“We are already looking forward to the Leopards match. The challenge will be different but we are not factoring in the problems they have faced recently. At this stage you have to take every opponent as a potential spoiler,” Nkata remarked.

Leopards will deny his team early coronation should they win their first game in three following successive loses to Gor and Sofapaka.

John Baraza and his Batoto ba Mungu coached side is keeping faith that Ken Kenyatta’s Ushuru, which settled for a barren stalemate against Muhoroni will slip against City Stars and Posta Rangers to boost their fight against survival.

The 2009 champions have an uphill task ahead, with Mathare and Thika United lined up for them as they seek to cut the three-point gap.

Ushuru may not have it easy against City Stars if assistant coach Denis Okoth’s words are anything to go by.

“It is painful that we are out but there is life after relegation. We have to finish the remaining matches honourably so we will take them as important as the other ones.

“We have endured a difficult period of raising good players then losing them to our competitors every season. It is not a very healthy environment to perform in; even now we may lose others,” a crestfallen Okoth offered.

Bandari’s 1-0 win over Posta Rangers was a reprieve for coach Ken Odhiambo who had lost three in a row, but his opposite number Zedekiah ‘Zico’ Otieno declared his objective of the season to amass at least 32 points was long surpassed, so he had nothing to lose.

The mailmen are eighth on the log with 39 points.

In Afraha, Ulinzi’s 1-0 win over Thika United meant their quest to finish among the top 5 teams remains on course but it was the lone goal scorer John Maark Makwatta who had a broader smile after taking his tally to 13 goals.

With his competitors Wycliffe Ochomo (12) out of the scene after parting ways with his employers Muhoroni and Kepha Aswani (13) has reportedly fallen out with Ingwe he remains the favourite to lift the golden boot.