Little to separate Tusker and Police in pick of KPL weekend matches
Harun Shakava (left) of Kenya Police fights for the ball with Eric Otieno of Tusker FC during a KPL match at Nyayo National Stadium on April 15, 2023.
What you need to know:
- Both teams are on 37 points, but Police boast a superior goal aggregate, having scored 24 goals and conceded 10.
- The match in Machakos will also pit the most lethal striking force in the league against the meanest defence.
A lot will be at stake When Tusker play Kenya Police at Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos, in the pick of this weekend’s Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKF-PL) matches.
For starters, only goal difference separates leaders Kenya Police and second-placed Tusker at the top of the table.
Both teams are on 37 points, but Police FC boast a superior goal aggregate, having scored 24 goals and conceded 10 in 19 matches.
When the two sides clash on Sunday from 4pm, any slip-up by either team will create a three-point gap for the victorious team, while condemning the losers to second place.
Secondly, the match pits the most lethal striking force in the league against the meanest defence. Tusker boast the most lethal striking force in the league, having plundered 31 goals and conceded 22, while Kenya Police boast the meanest defence in the league, having scored 24 goals and conceded just 10.
Tusker coach Charles Okere, who took over from Robert Matano at the start of the current season, is looking to maintain his team’s dominance over the law enforcers in the high-octane encounter.
“For us, every game is tough and we definitely know that the stakes are high but we have to remain calm," said Okere.
“The most important thing is to improve from the last game. We take positives every time. Like last weekend, we had a clean sheet and that is one of the things we really wanted to improve on,” he added.
Tusker have not lost in the last four matches, and have been displaying a good fighting spirit against opponents.
More than anyone else at Tusker FC, 20-year-old striker Ryan Ogam has contributed to the team’s goals tally. He is the league's leading goals scorer, having found the back of the net 15 times, six more than KCB's Francis Kahiro.
After his planned move to Algerian top-flight side USM Alger fell through early this week, Ogam has shifted his focus on Sunday's match.
The red-hot striker has set for himself a target of between 25 and 30 goals this season.
“I’m a Tusker FC player and I'm focused on doing better in each game until the end of the season. My target is to score more goals,” the 22-year-old forward said.
“Anything concerning (my planned) transfer is up to my representatives and my parents,” added Ogam, who joined the brewers from National Super League team Rainbow FC at the start of the current season.
Ogam will come up against Kenya Police defence of Aboud Omar, Baraka Badi, Brian Okok and Daniel Sakari, which is the meanest in the league.
Add to the fact that Kenya Police have not lost in 11 consecutive matches since Burundian coach Etienne Ndayiragije took over on November 29, and you have a high-stakes match as the league enters the 20th round.
The law enforcers have bolstered their striking force by signing up 22-year-old Nairobi City Stars forward Mohamed Bajaber mid-season. Bajaber has scored five goals this season.
In the seven meetings between the two sides, Tusker have won thrice, Kenya Police once, with three other meetings ending in draws.
At the same time, Gor Mahia’s new coach, Sinisa Mihic, will have his first taste of Kenyan football on Saturday when he travels with the 21-time Kenya champions to play home team Mathare United at Dandora Grounds in Nairobi.
Mihic, 48, has been out of active football for the last two years. Third-placed Gor Mahia have 31 points from 18 matches.
Mathare, who are 14th on 21 points also from 18 matches, has always been a tough opponent for Gor Mahia.
In other fixtures, AFC Leopards and Shabana also have tough matches against Kariobangi Sharks and Posta Rangers respectively.
KPL Weekend Fixtures:
Saturday:
Tusker vs Kenya Police (Kenyatta, Machakos, 4pm)
Bidco United vs Nairobi City Stars (Kenyatta, Machakos, 1pm)
Bandari vs Sofapaka (Mbaraki, Mombasa, 3pm)
Mathare United vs Gor Mahia (Dandora, Nairobi, 4pm)
Sunday:
Mara Sugar vs FC Talanta (Awendo, Migori, 3pm)
Posta Rangers vs Shabana (Kenyatta, Machakos, 4pm)
KCB vs Murang’a Seal (Kenyatta, Machakos, 1pm)
AFC Leopards vs Kariobangi Sharks (Dandora, Nairobi, 4pm)
Ulinzi Stars vs Kakamega Homeboyz (Dandora, Nairobi, 1pm)