The title race was long decided, not so the relegation battle, podium positions, top eight ranking and that individual distinction all players crave for, the Golden Boot. All that will be decided on Saturday when the 2017 season comes to a screeching end.
Mathare United, Thika United and Western Stima are all facing a fight of their lives to stay alive in the Premiership – one of them will have to go down, while five teams – Sofapaka, Posta Rangers, Tusker, Kariobangi Sharks and Kakamega Homeboyz are vying for position two and three to join winners Gor Mahia on the podium.
Sharks red hot striker Masoud Juma with 17 goals, four more than his closest rivals, is primed to scoop the top scorers’ gong, but this is football, and anything could happen.
Games on!
ALL KICK OFFS 2PM
Chemelil Sugar v Western Stima (Chemelil )
Western Stima, stand as the most likely candidate for relegation.
To remain in the top flight, they must win this match, by more than seven goals, and then hope that other results go their way.
Chemelil defender Benjamin Oketch has picked five yellow cards and is therefore suspended from this match, as is Stima’s Ugandan ace Villa Oramchan.
The two teams drew 101 in April 16 in their first leg encounter.
Gor Mahia v Sony Sugar (Moi)
This, like their last four games, will be a formality for champions-elect Gor Mahia who will be officially crowned on the day.
Karim Nizigiyimana underwent ankle surgery and will miss this match, meaning that utility Godfrey Walusimbi may start in the right back position.
The sugar millers will be eager to get a win and attain a top 10 finish, a feat that has eluded them for the last three years.
But it will be a tough preposition considering that – well, they are playing Gor – and K’Ogalo coach Kerr has publicly declared he wants to finish the league with a win Gor won the first leg fixture 2-1.
Muhoroni Youth v AFC Leopards (Mumias)
Muhoroni Youth haven’t won any game since their relegation status was confirmed three weeks ago and will be grappling with that small thing of confidence.
Ingwe on the other hand are on a good roll having won their last two games, and will be hoping to collect three more points in order to secure a top 10 finish.
Burly Ingwe midfielder Victor Majid misses this match due to suspension for collecting five yellow cards.
Allan Kateregga, now at Ugandan club KCCA, scored a goal in the 35th minute to lift Ingwe to a 1-0 win over Muhoroni in their first leg meeting.
Nakumatt v Kariobangi Sharks (Ruaraka)
Nakumatt’s Kepha Aswani finds himself facing the Herculean task of scoring five goals in order to topple current top scorer Masoud Juma (assuming he does not score on Saturday) in the race for this season’s Golden Boot.
Juma, who has 17 goals against Aswani’s 13, will want, you feel, to finish with flourish.
Sharks won the first leg clash between the two teams 1-0 courtesy of a second half goal from, you guessed it, Juma.
Nzoia Sugar v Kakamega Homeboyz (Sudi)
Sixth placed Homeboyz lost 1-0 to Gor Mahia last weekend, but they are still in contention for a podium finish if they can secure three points from Nzoia and other results go their way.
Nzoia have lost twice their last two matches against Mathare United and Kariobangi Sharks and will need to show character in order to deal with their neighbours Homeboyz.
Bad boy Wycliffe Ochomo, who picked a red card during Homeboyz’ previous match against Gor Mahia, has been suspended from this match.
In their first leg meeting played in April, Nzoia beat Homeboyz 2-1 at their Mumias home ground.
Posta Rangers v Mathare United (Camp Toyoyo)
Mathare United have worked hard to avoid relegation and they will have to collect at least one more point in this final match to rest easy.
Ezekiel Seda delivered a brilliant performance in the Slum Boys’ match against Muhoroni Youth last weekend and should lead their attack in partnership with Cliff Nyakeya.
Rangers are one of the four teams fighting to finish second behind Gor Mahia, and needless to say, they know what they have to do.
Rangers beat Mathare 1-0 in the reverse fixture on April 17.
Sofapaka v Zoo Kericho (Narok)
Sofapaka have won just one of their last four games and their second placed finish is far from guaranteed.
They have a brittle two-point advantage over their closest challengers Posta Rangers, and a loss against Zoo could actually see them drop from second to seventh place on the log!
Ugandan Umaru Kasumba should lead Batoto ba Mungu’s strike as he attempts to do the improbable, win the Golden Boot. On 11 goals, he is six off the pace.
Zoo’s 2-1 win over Thika United on Wednesday guaranteed them safety in top flight football and they will approach this game with little pressure.
Sofapaka crushed Zoo 3-0 in their first leg encounter.
Thika United v Bandari (Thika)
Sixteenth-placed Thika United’s prospects of winning the relegation battle were left hanging by a thread on Wednesday following their defeat to Zoo Kericho. They must win on Saturday and pray other results go their way.
The burden of securing the important goals rest on the shoulders of Shami Kibwana and Eugene Mukangula who have scored 12 goals between them.
Bandari on the other hand are already preparing for the next season as demonstrated by the fact that they dropped five players a month ago.
Dan Sserunkuma, now playing in his native Uganda, scored a brace in the first leg meeting between these two teams as Darius Msagha contributed a goal to help the dockers to a 3-0 win over Thika.
Ulinzi Stars v Tusker (Afraha)
This could really have been a title deciding encounter, but it is not as both sides fell by the wayside in the race for the Kenyan championship.
Tusker have been reduced to fight for a top three finish while Ulinzi will looking to consolidate their position in the top half of the table.
Tusker captain James Situma returns to action after sitting out his team’s last two matches due to suspension.
The two sides drew 1-1 in their first leg encounter.
