NSL: Tight contest as chasing pack jostle for FKF-PL slots

With Football Club Talanta set to be declared National Super League (NSL) champions on Sunday should they manage to collect at least a point from their clash against Silibwet Leons at Bomet Stadium, the battle for number two and three is gaining momentum with four teams in contention.

Only four points separate second-placed Fortune Sacco from sixth-placed Kibera Black Stars with a majority of the teams having three games left to play.

Fifth-placed Vihiga Bullets seem to have the best shot at finishing second as they have played one game less than other contenders and will aim to make the extra fixture count when they take on thirteenth-placed Gusii FC on Thursday at Bukhungu Stadium.

Head coach Edward Manoah has rallied his troops to have fate in their hands as the season enters home stretch by winning the remaining four matches, a feat that will see them secure the only remaining automatic promotion slot.

“At the moment we are worried about how we can turn the remaining fixtures into valuable points that will earn us promotion as the second-best team in the division.

“We understand that around four teams are in contention but we are only focused on what we can do to achieve our target,” he told Citizen Digital.

The biggest impediment to their objective is fatigue as it proved costly in their 1-1 stalemate against Kenya Police on Sunday after they surrendered a 1-0 lead with a quarter of an hour to go as the players could not focus until the final whistle.

Manoah has revealed that they have improvised a program that will see them through the jam-packed schedule as they attempt to make the cut for the Kenya Premier League.

“We observed that many players do not have the legs to carry them through the whole game because we have had to play many games in a short period lately.

“We perceive it to be our biggest worry at the moment but we have a plan that will see us through and we are positive everything will go well starting with our clash against Gusii on Thursday.”

Shabana and APS Bomet have an outside chance of finishing in the qualification slots but will hope the teams above them drop points in the remaining matches, for them to have a fighting chance.