WPL: Soccer Assassins face baptism by fire in Kisumu

League debutantes Soccer Assassins face baptism by fire when they travel to leaders Vihiga Queens in the Football Kenya Federation Women Premier League (FKF-WPL) on Sunday.

The tie, one of the three league matches on the cards this weekend, will be played at Moi Stadium in Kisumu County from 12pm.

In the other matches, Bungoma Queens face Nakuru City Queens at Sudi Stadium in Bungoma County on Saturday as Wadadia Women battle Bunyore Starlets FC at Mumias Sports Complex in Kakamega County on Sunday.

Vihiga and Assassins have never met before in the league.

Vihiga lead the standings on 16 points from six matches, while newly promoted Assassins are seventh with four points.

Kibera Girls Soccer are second on the log with 12 points from seven matches, and the champions could pull further ahead with victory over Assassins. Kibera do not have a game this weekend.

The defending champions will be without the services of their top scorer, Janet Moraa Bundi, who is currently with Harambee Starlets squad preparing to face Botswana in the return leg of the 2024 Women Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifying match on Tuesday in Gaborone. Bundi has netted five times this season.

Bundi's absence means Vihiga coach Boniface Nyamunyamu will rely on Tumaini Waliula, who is second on the top scorer's list with four goals.

Nancy Atako (Kibera Girls Soccer) and veteran Ulinzi Starlets striker Neddy Atieno have also scored four goals this season.

Wadadia have had a slow start to the season, winning only one match against Zetech Sparks in a 2-1 victory at Imani Grounds in Kiambu County last weekend.

They have drawn once and lost three of the five they have played.

Wadadia head coach Rashid Sumba believes the exit of star players at the end of last season is the reason behind their slow start to the campaign.

"I recruited players who had just completed their Form Four exams. The team is slowly getting back on track and we will not fight to stay in the league with the new players. With the home advantage, we aim to secure a win," said Sumba.

Some of the players that Wadadia lost are Rita Onyango and Mercy Rigo, who joined Ulinzi and Kispeed Queens, respectively.

The recent relegation of Trans Nzoia Falcons has left the league with only 11 teams. As a result, all results for matches involving Falcons have been voided.

Falcons suffered a 5-0 loss against Soccer Assassins, a 4-1 defeat against Zetech Sparks on October 7 and a 4-0 defeat from Bunyore at the Mumias Sports Complex on October 15.

They failed to honour their matches against Vihiga Queens, Wadadia Women and Bungoma Queens before they were kicked out of the league.

Fixtures

Saturday

Bungoma Queens FC v Nakuru City Queens FC (Sudi Stadium, Bungoma Queens 12pm)

Sunday

Wadadia FC v Bunyore Starlets FC (Mumias Sports Complex, Mumias 3pm)

Vihiga Queens FC v Soccer Assassins FC (Moi Stadium, Kisumu 12pm)