Title race, relegation battles hot up as FKF premier league enters match day 26

The Football Kenya Federation premier league (FKF) returns this afternoon, with teams battling for honors, while the relegation axe looms for struggling sides.

Ulinzi Stars will be up against Sofapaka at 3 pm at the Ulinzi complex as the soldiers seek maximum points to push them to the top 10 from position 13.

Meanwhile, Batoto ba Mungu will be out to disappoint their hosts with a win, moving them two positions higher from ninth spot to seventh.

On Saturday, AFC Leopards will battle Kakamega Homeboyz in the Ingo derby at Jommo Kenyata stadium in Machakos, with three points and bragging rights at stake.

Ingwe who are fresh from playing to a barren draw against arch-rivals Gor Mahia last weekend, will be hoping to bounce back to winning ways to remain in the KPL title hopes.

Ingwe have no new injury scares, but Home Boyz will be without goalkeeper Patrick Matasi, who is serving a 90-day suspension from all football activities for allegedly manipulating match results.

The match kicks off at 4 pm and will be curtain-raised by Mathare United vs Posta Rangers at 1 pm.

On Sunday, table toppers Kenya Police FC will face bottom side Nairobi City Stars at Machakos stadium, as they chase their second consecutive win, to maintain top spot.

The law enforcers will, however, approach the match cautiously to avoid a potential banana skin.

The match kicks off at 1 pm and will be followed by another potential title decider between third-placed Gor Mahia and fourth-placed KCB FC from 4 pm.

Champions KO’gallo will be without defender Rooney Onyango who joined Norwegian side Sogndal Football last week.

Elsewhere, second-placed Tusker will be away to 11th-placed Mara Sugar FC at Awendo Green stadium from 2 pm.

The title contenders are only two points behind Police FC and will miss the services of top scorer Ryan Ogam, who is out for the rest of the season after undergoing knee surgery on Wednesday

In the absence of the KPL top scorer with 15 goals, the brewers will depend on forwards Deugratius Ojok, Lawrence Luvanda, Jacob Onyango, among others for goals.

Okere said they will badly miss the Ogam’s, but he hopes his teammates will step up.

“We wish Ogam a quick recovery, and my strikers will fill in his big boots and ensure they grab maximum points to maintain their league title hopes.” Said Okere.

Another match day 26 fixture will see Shabana welcome Bandari at Gusii stadium as they seek to maintain their good home run with victory.

The Gusii side are sixth on the table, just one point ahead of the Mombasa outfit, and can climb to fourth spot with a win.

Struggling Murang’a Seal will be up against another relegation-threatened side, Bidco United, at Sportspesa Arena.

New Head coach Yusuf Chipo will be hoping to grab maximum points for Seal to stop their 11-match winless streak, while Japheth Akhulia, who is just one point behind Seal, must avoid a loss to maintain their top-flight status chances