NSL: APS Bomet edge stubborn Shabana

Administration Police Services (APS) Bomet Saturday edged Shabana 1-0 in a National Super League (NSL) match at Bomet Stadium.

Erick Juma’s goal in the 55th minute floored Shabana whose promotion hopes now hang in the balance.

APS Bomet are now top of the table with 63 points, three ahead of second-placed Fortune Sacco. Shabana remain fifth with 53 points.

APS Bomet head coach Charles Odero praised his boys for the 'deserved' win.

"I am pleased with my boys, they played well throughout the 90 minutes. We are now fully focused on our next match and aim to finish the league on a high note," said Odero.

Shabana head coach Sammy Okoth protested over what he termed as poor officiating.

“Truth be told, officiating is very poor. This trend is going to really slow down our football growth significantly if it is not tamed. Let fairness prevail, let’s grow the sport on the cardinal principle of fairness,” he said.

Relegation-threatened Mwatate United Saturday revived their hopes of surviving the axe with a 3-1 win over promotion-chasing Muhoroni Youth at Wundanyi Stadium in Taita Taveta County.

In the capital, mid-table Kibera Black Stars beat Kisumu All Stars 3-1 at Camp Toyoyo Grounds while Migori Youth thrashed visiting Mombasa Elite 4-0 at Migori Stadium.

Kibera Black Stars are ninth on 45 points while Kisumu All Stars, who last featured in the topflight league two seasons ago are 14th on 31 points.

Despite losing to Mwatate United, Muhoroni Youth are still third on the log with 53 points.

Elsewhere, Fortune Sacco and Murang’a Seal coaches have joined forces in calling for peace during the Central region derby slated for Sunday.

Fortune Sacco will host perennial rivals Murang’a Seal from neighbouring Murang’a County at Kianyaga Stadium in Kirinyaga County starting at 3:00pm.

Speaking to Nation Sport on Saturday, Fortune Sacco head Nicholas Omasete asked fans from both sides to embrace peace before, during and after the match. He called on sports enthusiasts in the region to restrain from any act of hooliganism.

“We are all brothers and sisters and we should maintain peace during Sunday's match. However, this time round we will not relent since we learnt from our mistakes in the first leg,” said ambitious Omasete.

Dubbed the ‘Mount Kenya derby’, the match between the two clubs did not disappoint in the first leg as the clash staged at the St Sebastian park on March 2 in Murang’a County ended in a 4-4 draw.

Similar sentiments were issued by his Murang’a Seal counterpart Vincent Nyaberi who called for calm ahead of the crucial fixture.

“I will be happy to see a peaceful match and not one that is marred with chaos. Football is about losing and winning and whoever goes down should embrace the other,” said Nyaberi.

His call came amidst claims of revenge threats from a section of Fortune Sacco fans who were assaulted during the first leg in St Sebastian Park but Nyaberi dismissed them as baseless.

Chaos erupted during the eight-goal thriller, something that forced the Football Kenya Federation Transition Committee (FKF-TC) to suspend St Sebastian Park from hosting second tier matches for a while. The venue was however later cleared to host matches.

Murang’a Seal will be looking to move third on the log, after an impressive 3-0 win against Coastal Heroes which lifted them to fourth position with 53 points garnered from 31 matches.

Fortune Sacco are fresh from a 2-1 win over Mara Sugar at Awendo Stadium in Migori County last weekend. Fortune Sacco are lying second on the log with 60 points from 32 matches.

Saturday results

Mwatate United  3-1 Muhoroni Youth

APS Bomet 1-0 Shabana FC

Kibera Black Stars 3-1 Kisumu All Stars

Migori Youth 4-0 Mombasa Elite

Sunday fixtures

Fortune Sacco v Murang’a Seal (Kianyaga Stadium, Kirinyaga),

Vihiga United v Naivas (Mumias Complex),

SS Asaad v Mara Sugar (Shamu Grounds, Kilifi).