WHERE? : NYAYO NATIONAL STADIUM

WHEN?  : THURSDAY 5TH AUGUST 2010

TIME     : 1900HRS

It will be a clash of “the cats” as two Kenya football giants lock horns in a Kenya premier league match in what promises to be an intriguing and entertaining encounter. Sofapaka the defending Champions, commonly known as the 'batoto ba mungu' will be up against multiple champions, AFC Leopards at the Nyayo National Stadium this evening (thursday 5th of august). Both teams come in to the match on a high having registered wins in their last league matches. Sofapaka needed a Humprey Mieno last minute goal to give them all three points against karuturi sport on 25th July while AFC leopards staged the comeback of the season thus far when they rallied from 3-1 down at half time to beat KCB  4-3.

 KEY BATTLES:

The match in many ways promises to be a cracker from the pitch, bench up to the stands.

On the stands:
Isukuti VS Drums
Afc leopards has the largest fan base in the country only rivaled by Gor Mahia and on Thursday, the turn out is not expected to be any different as the sound of the isukuti fills the air waves . Batoto ba mungu not to be underestimated, will be backed by their drum beating never say die fans.

On the bench:

It will be a case of successor meeting predecessor as Robert Matano faces his old club a team he helped win the championship on the first attempt and now under the charge of Ugandan Sam Ssimbwa. After a slow start to the season that saw Robert Matano shown the door Sofapaka has got back to the form that saw them crowned champions last year and thanks to their Ugandan tactician they seem to be on track to defend their trophy. Ssimbwa has been able to gel the team together and this has seen the team become one of the most attack minded team in the league this season.

Matano on the other hand looks forwad to be the only coach to have lifted back to back titles with two different teams. Having been out of the scenes since being sacked by sofapaka early in the season, he has returned to the coaching job for AFC after his predecessor Makhoha resigned.

Matano may use this match as a revenge platform for his dismissal at Sofapaka but on the other hand Ssimbwa may use this to show Matano things are moving smoothly.

On the pitch

Sofapaka and AFC leopards have met twice since the begining of the year. Sofapaka was the better side in the Super cup winning 1-0. However in the first leg of the premier league encounter the 1-0 nill was in favour of Leopards. That was also Ssimbwa’s 1st lose as Sofapaka coach.

John Baraza vs. Harry Gentle and Martin Imbalambala.

The two Afc center backs will be up against the league's last season top scorer and currently leading the score board with nine goals. With the prolific Bob mugalia playing provider from the right wing, it will be mandatory for the two defenders to have their concentration at the peak if they are to stop the goal poacher from raising  his goal tally. It will also be interesting to see how Gentle comes up against his old club having transferred recently to AFC.

Bob Mugalia Vs Gregory Nyapala

Nyapala will have to work extra hard to stop Mugalia from either netting a goal or providing killer passes to Baraza. The left back will be up against one of the most lethal striker in the league who combines both deft touches and pace.

Dimonde Selenge vs. George Owino

Selenge, a former SOFAPAKA man has proved a worthy bargain for leopards having joined them at the start of the season from the Batoto ba Mungu. The Congolese striker has bagged in crucial goals for his team including a magnificent hat-trick against KCB 2 weeks ago. Having been offloaded from sofapaka as excess baggage, the striker will be more than pleased to score against his former club. It remains to be seen if Owino will do enoughp to stop The leopards new captain.

Itub Imbem vs. Edgar Ochieng

It will be battle royal in the Sofapaka box as the to big men face of. Edgar will have the main responsibility of manning the Sofapaka defense and will hope to keep the Congolese at bay. Imbem's solo effort tore the KCB defence apart before providing a pass that was headed in by selenge for the leopards first goal in the 4-3 win against KCB.

Probable line –up:

• Allan Wanga is doubtful after suffering a slit injury against Karuturi Sports but Anthony Kimani should be available after missing the Karuturi game.
• Matano might retain the same team that beat KCB 4-3

AFC Leopards

Lawrence webo, Edwin Wafula, Harry Gentle, Martin Imbalambala, Gregory Nyapala, James Omondi, Ekene Umekwe, Benard Mang’oli, John Kio, Itubu Imbem, Dimonde Selenge

SOFAPAKA

Zachariah Onyango, Thomas Wanyama, Idrissa Rajab, George Owino, Edgar Ochieng, Humphrey Mieno, James Situma, Musa Mudde, Bob Mugalia, John Baraza, Abbas Akinyemi.

Predictions

AFC Leopards 1-Sofapaka 1