Coach Nkata lauds Mandela - kenya

  

Muhoroni Youth FC head coach Paul Nkata has given his striker George Mandela after he was named as the Sports Journalists Association of Kenya [SJAK] player of the month.

According to the coach, Mandela is the right man for the job for being very active for the club and fighting to ensure that the team remains on the right track.

Nkata believes that the player has a bright future and has urged him on terming his as a bright future that needs to be well nurtured.

“Mandela has been a performing tremendously well with us and a very crucial member of my squad this season since he has never disappointed me whenever he’s been called to present the club,” he said.

Nkata referred to the striker’s personality of keeping his cool both on and off the pitch which he says keeps his focus on the ball and scoring.

He says that Mandela is a hard working striker who is more likely than not to increase his tally into the final matches of the season.

The striker has netted six goals for Muhoroni helping the side rise to fourth on the standings.

Title in sight for Gor Mahia

Champions Gor Mahia will wrap up the 2015 Sportspesa Premier League (SPL) title on Wednesday evening if they get a point against Sony Sugar at Nyayo National Stadium.

Mighty K’Ogalo are on 63 points and a point will take them to unassailable lead of 64 with four games to go giving them their third straight crown.

The first leg between the two sides ended 1-0 in favor of Gor with Ali Hassan Abondo scoring the lone goal of the match.

After pulling a barren draw in a tough league encounter against Ulinzi Stars in Nakuru on Sunday, Gor ’s Green Army are expected to throng the venue and roar their team to victory.

Head coach Frank Nuttall was happy with the show his team put up against the physical Ulinzi and hoped they will repeat a similar performance on Wednesday against their opponents.

“I congratulate my players for their strength of mind and focus to carry out our game plan. But now, we are facing another stubborn side on Wednesday. We cannot underrate them despite our search for a point to crown our season success” noted Nuttall.

Gor will parade their usual regulars that include goalkeeper Bonface Oluoch, Khalid Aucho, Meddie Kagere, Innocent Wafula and Godfrey Walusimbi out to seal victory.

Collins Okoth and Abouba Sibomana could make a return to the starting eleven if they recover from knocks that saw them sit out the Ulinzi game.

The home side face a resurgent Sony side that has revived its fortunes since Salim Babu replaced Zedekiah Otieno as coach.

A win for the Awendo side will see them confirm survival in the top flight for another season.

Victor Ademba, Samuel Onyango, Andrew Ssekayombya and veteran Sylvester Wanyama will lead the quest for an unlikely win against the champions in waiting.

Can Sony stop Gor?

Awendo sugarmillers seek to delay title celebrations for defending champions

Salim Babu has masterminded an unbelievable turnaround in the fortunes of then struggling Sony Sugar since he was installed as the caretaker coach.

This followed the departure of Zedekiah Otieno.

He has overseen a remarkable run of six matches without defeat, winning four times, with Sofapaka their latest victims.

Today his credentials as a long term head of Sony’s technical bench will be tested to the limit as he attempts to scuttle Gor Mahia’s title celebrations when the two sides face off in a midweek SportPesa Premier League match at Nyayo stadium.

For that to happen Babu and his charges must attempt to do what no other SportPesa Premier League club has done, inflict defeat on the defending champions.

With relegation fears not yet completely averted, the Awendo side will sensibly come to the capital in search of a point rather than show some bravado in attempting to end Kogallo’s unbeaten run and delay the inevitable coronation. With the possibility of four teams from the SportPesa PL being relegated Sony will need every point they can get their hands on given they are just four points above the team occupying the fourth position from bottom Chemelil Sugar. Moreover Frank Nuttal’s champions in waiting will be more concerned with maintaining their proud unbeaten record and ending the title race than go all gung-ho and risk it all.

The champions will be grateful to have most of their players available after the bruising Sunday top of the table battle against Ulinzi Stars at Nakluru’s Afraha Stadium.

Rwandan international left back Abouba Sibomana is still a doubt for the clash as is midfield enforcer Collins Okoth. Both missed the Sunday clash. Striker Michael Olunga still harbours hopes of winning the golden boot and as he was on Sunday he will be a handful for the sugarmillers as he tries to improve on his 15 goal haul that is five shy of the current top scorer Jesse Were of Tusker FC. Sony’s renaissance under Babu has been built on a solid defensive foundation and that will need to be the case against the league’s most potent attack that averages two goals per game.

In the absence of Joseph Omweir who limped out with an ankle injury in their last match, Hamizi Kwizera, Alfred Onyango and Samuel Olare will be tasked with keeping an eyer on Olunga, Medie Kagere and Innocent Wafula the trio who will lead Gor’s attack. Should they fail Ugandan shot stopper Allan Owiny will be the last line of defence.