Race for Golden Boot narrows down to Wanga, Kasumba

With six matches of the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) remaining before the curtains fall on 2019 season, defending champions Gor Mahia have underlined their status as favourites for the league following their dominant display so far leading the 20-team league on 60 points after 27 rounds.

The race to the KPL Golden Boot however has pretty become exciting with six serious contenders chasing the award as the league heads into the homestretch.

All the six players have a chance at the cherry but only time will tell .Of significance though is the fierce rivalry between Allan Wetende Wanga of Kakamega Homeboyz and Ugandan Umaru Kasumba of Sofapaka, who are joint top on 16 goals apiece. So, who will blink first?

Wanga v Kasumba

With his heroics, Wanga, a former Tusker and AFC Leopards striker is out to complete a remarkable rarity among the current pool of Kenyan players.

What makes his chapter glossing is the fact that he’s won the league title twice with Tusker in 2007 and 2016 as well as several other honours across the globe.

His first league conquest came in his debut season in 2007 when he bagged 23 goals for the brewers’ en route to claiming the Golden Boot award.

Fast forward to 2019, after a 12-year wait, the 33-year-old Wanga is almost writing another chapter in his football career with only seven goals shy of his 2007 heroics, and he’s attributing his highflying performance to teamwork.

“If it is not for my teammates I would not have been where I am today, and if I will win this award rightfully, it will be because of them and the club’s management who have shown relentless support,” the veteran striker told Citizen Digital.

In between Wanga’s success this year however stands Kasumba, Ulinzi’s Enosh Ochieng who has smashed 15 goals and Mathare’s Cliff Nyakeya with 12 goals so far.

The Ugandan hit-man Kasumba  who has propelled Batoto Ba Mungu to second in KPL standings on 53 points after  28 rounds says he has set his eyes on bagging this year’s golden boot and is targeting five more goals in the remaining six matches.

“I think I am really happy with how I have progressed this season. Bearing in mind I didn’t start the first five games due to injury. I think I have done well.

“From the start my target this season was 20 goals and I believe I will get that target. Secondly, I also want to win the Golden Boot and I will work hard to win it,” the former Uganda Police and SC Villa man told the club’s website.

Also, there are plenty of other in-form hit men across the KPL with Golden Boot candidates Derrick Otanga (Sony Sugar,10), Boniface Muchiri  (Tusker,8) and Mwana Yema of Bandari on 8 just  among the chasing pack.