Just like a marathon race, the Kenya premier league is taking shape and likely winners are emerging. Ulinzi stars are in a two point slim league at the top with 39 points and a goal difference of 13. Ulinzi has won 10 out of their 21 matches and lost only 2. Tusker and Gor mahia share the second spot with almost nothing to separate the two sides. Both are on 37 points with a goal difference of 10. Both teams have won 10 and lost 4 out of their 21 matches. Gor mahia however has a better head to head record since their first leg match ended in a 1 all draw but the Gor won the second leg match 2-0. Sofapaka are placed fourth with 36 points and the league’s best Goal difference of 17. Sofapaka has won 9 and lost 3 out of their 21 matches played. The bottom position is occupied by Chemilil sugar on 19 points with a goal difference of -10. Chemilil has lost 10 and won 4 of their 21 matches. In position 15 is Mahakama with 20 points and a goal difference of -6. Mahakama has lost 9 and won 4 of their 21 matches. Not so safe also are posta rangers and Red berets who are in the 14th  and 13th  position respectively. Both have 21 points.

Leaders Ulinzi stars have a 2 point lead and seem prepared to do just about anything to protect their lead. This was evident as they battled to a goalless draw against defending champions SOFAPAKA on Sunday. Sofapaka looked good on paper but this did not replicate on the field. In the contrary Ulinzi had a bigger share of missed chances with veteran Tom Ogweno missing twice in the first half. Despite Sofapaka’s domination in possession the Ulinzi backline seemed un-perturbed by Sofapaka’s lethal striking combination of John Baraza, Bob Mugalia and Allan Wanga. In the end both teams settled for a single point with Ulinzi looking happy with the result. Ulinzi’s host Thika united on Saturday the 28th while Sofapaka play Mathare United on Wednesday at the Nyayo national stadium in a tough mid week clash.

Second placed Tusker suffered yet another set back to their title challenge when they were surprisingly held to a goalless draw by relegation threatened Mahakama. The draw meant that Tusker would not retake leadership of the league. With a loss, four draws and one win,  Tusker seem to have forgotten the form that they ended the first leg matches with. The brewers are evidently missing Paul Were(Currently in Asmara, Eritrea with the Kenyan team taking part in the CECAFA youth tournament and also turns up for National duty for Harambee stars senior team) who had turned into a super sub for them in the Kenya premier league.  Tusker faces an uphill task on Saturday when they travel to Mumias for their next game against Western Stima. The giant killing mahakama will try to up their race away from relegation when they play Posta rangers on Sunday at the city stadium.

Sharing the second place with Tusker is Gor-mahia who have been in an amazing form since the beginning of the second leg round of Matches. Gor-mahia needed just the first 20 minutes to win their tie against mid-table Posta rangers on Sunday. Cameroonian Baldwin Ngwaa who has also scored for Gor in the last two matches was on target in the 9th minute before captain Julius Owino netted the second from the spot in the 14th minute after George ‘Blackberry’ Odhiambo was brought down in the box. With their current form, many pundits could already be giving the wildly supported Gor mahia a nod to win the premier league. The form is despite the fact that Gor has had to play without four of their regular starters who are with kenya’s youth team in Asmara Eritrea. Gor has won five times and drawn once out of their last six outings. Having shown their ability against the big shots of the league Gor’s big test will come when they face relegation threatened Red berets who have been on a winning streak in their last few matches. The Berets fixture is scheduled for the 29th at the city stadium. Posta who went on to control the game were unlucky not to get a draw or even a win but will want to forget that quickly as they prepare to face Mahakama on Sunday.

Mathare United on Saturday battled to a 1 all draw with KCB at the city stadium.  KCB were the first to strike with Ezekiel Odera scoring in the 21st minute. Mathare fought back and secured a point when Tololwa fired home a cross from Joseph Nyagah in the 79th minute. The draw created an undesired gap between Mathare and the leading teams. Mathare are placed fifth in the standings with 32 points, four behind  fourth placed Sofapaka. Having lost only one match in the entire season, the slum boys know they deserve better than fifth position and will seek to close that gap when they play Sofapaka on Wednesday night at the Nyayo National stadium in what is set to be a battle of the greats.  KCB currently on a low hope to rediscover their winning ways when they play Sony sugar in Awendo on Sunday.

Karuturi sports struggled to revive their chase to the title when they won 2-0 against Kawangware based Nairobi city stars. Karuturi’s goals were scored by Geoffrey Musiebe (25th minute) and Allan Otindo (57th minute). Karuturi finished the first leg round of matches in the top five bracket but had been on a steady drop since the beginning of the second leg round of matches. Karuturi hopes to use the weekend win as a stepping stone to get back to the good winning days as they face bottom placed chemilil sugar in chemill on Sunday. Nairobi city stars not enjoying a very good run themselves face the troubled AFC leopards on Saturday at the Thika municipal stadium.

Once again massive disappointment reigned at the Nyayo National stadium as one of Kenya’s oldest and greatest football club AFC leopards crashed to a 1-0 loss to the Awendo based sony sugar in front of the home fans. In the absence of captain Demonge Selenge(suspension) and first choice and kenya international goal keeper Lawrence Webo(Injury) the wildly followed team struggled in the entire match and failed to convert in to goals two clear chances they had in the dying minutes of the second half. Dodo Kayomboe fired home a free kick from 45 yards in the 9th minute, a goal that boosted his sides confidence. Sony sugar then went on to take control of the game with Leopard’s Edwin Barasa being send off in the 78 minute. Sony sugar missed a host of chances in both halves and would have won the match with a bigger margin had their strikers converted the chances. AFC leopards who seemed rejuvenated  towards the end of the first leg matches with an epic win over rivals Gor-mahia have had no luck with the second round of matches winning only one, drawing another and loosing four others. Leopards next game is against Nairobi city stars at the Thika municipal stadium on Saturday while Sony  plays KCB in Awendo on Sunday.

Red berets FC has the most peculiar of behaviors in the Kenya premier league. Just like last season, when they struggled to narrowly evade relegation, berets have awaken again winning matches and slowly getting out of the relegation danger. Berets provided the biggest win of the weekend thrashing Chemilil  4 goals with no reply. Red berets goals were scored by Joseph Asuza, Andrew Manyasi, James Maina and Victor Amboga. Berets next assignment will be against the league’s hot boys Gor mahia while Chemilil will host Karuturi sports.

Thika united moved to 7th position with a 2-0 win over western stima to solidify their position in the mid table. Thika’s goals were scored by John Mwangi (63rd minute) and Kepha Aswani (78th). Thika who were among last season’s top contenders begun the league on a wrong footing with losses and draws a trend that saw them spend some time in the relegation zone. The brookhouse sponsored outfit will face an up-hill task when they play league leaders Ulinzi in Nakuru. Fans from the chasing teams will hope that Thika united can manage at the worst a draw so us to slow down the spirited army men. Western Stima host Tusker on Saturday and will be between a rock and a wall as they try to kill Tuskers hopes of lifting the trophy and solidify their chances of staying in the league.

The Kenya premier league continues…