The last two rounds saw defending champions Gor Mahia bounce back in style, collecting six points and four goals. Can they sustain this gallop at home to Ushuru? Rivals AFC Leopards were stunned by City Stars in their last match. Will they provide an appropriate response against fading Sofapaka? And will debutants Kakamega Homeboyz halt City Stars’ surge, Posta Rangers claim the big scalp of unbeaten Ulinzi Stars?

SATURDAY

AFC Leopards vs Sofapaka (Nyayo Stadium, 2pm)

Ingwe had their six-match unbeaten run halted by lowly ranked City Stars last weekend while Sofapaka are rooted to the bottom of the league table after six consecutive losses.

Allan Katerrega, Lamine Diallo, Andrew Tololwa and Kepha Aswani will all be available for Leopards in a very useful looking strike force.

Sofapaka’s coach David Ouma will be missing from the touchline as he is currently in Algiers with the Kenya national team that play Algeria in the 2016 Africa Women Cup of Nations qualifiers on Friday.

On paper, Leopards start as favourites but must be wary of a Sofapaka side desperate to climb out of a worrying slump.

Kakamega Homeboyz vs City Stars (Mumias Sugar Sports Complex, 3pm)

The home side has had two weeks of misery, losing 2-1 to big wigs AFC Leopards and 3-0 to Gor Mahia in their last two fixtures.

They will be grappling with confidence crisis as they face a resurgent City Stars who felled fancied Leopards and Mathare United in quick succession recently.

Stars coach John “Bobby” Ogola says that he had a secret weapon he used to win the games and will, presumably, unleash it in Mumias on Saturday. You don’t change a winning formula.

Western Stima vs Tusker (Moi Stadium, 3pm)

Tusker are perched at the top of the league table with 14 points from four wins and two draws. More significantly, they are the league top scorers with 12 goals and start out as firm favourites.

Danson Kago will miss this match for the brewers with injury while midfield partner Timonnah Wanyonyi is fit and available.

Stima’s top scorer Baron Oketch returns for this match after international duty with the Kenyan Under-20 team.

In the first leg game last season Tusker beat Stima 3-1, but the two teams played to a 1-1 draw in the return match.

Mathare United vs Sony Sugar (Nyayo Stadium, 4.15pm)

If they are to reclaim their position at the top of the table, Mathare United must win this match and with a big margin. With a red-hot Obadiah Ndege, on five goals so far, the Slum Boys will certainly fancy their chances.

Sony are winless in all their seven games this season, and are facing managerial upheavals with coach Leonard Odipo yet to get an assistant following the sacking of former team coach and later assistant Salim Babu.

Statistics however favour Sony, who have never lost to Mathare United since November 2012. The sugar millers beat Mathare 2-1 the last time the two teams met.

SUNDAY

Posta Rangers vs Ulinzi Stars (Nyayo Stadium, 2pm)

Rangers, considered the league’s dark horse, have struggled recently as they chase after their first win in three games.

But they came up against the only unbeaten team in the league.

John Makwatta will lead the attack for the soldiers while Timothy Otieno shoulders that responsibility the other end.

One of the more enticing matches of the round.

Chemelil Sugar vs Thika United (Chemelil Sugar Sports Complex, 1pm)

Thika’s Ugandan goalkeeper Hamza Muwonge will miss this game on suspension after picking up a red card during their midweek match against Gor Mahia.

The visitor’s defender and captain Dennis Odhiambo will, however, be making a return to the squad after serving his one match ban for being sent off.

Much travelled Thika coach James Nandwa, publicly rued their loss to Gor saying they threw away the match. Expect him to come up with a bag of tricks from his experience to get victory in Chemelil.

The two teams traded wins in their meetings last season and Sunday’s fixture looks finely poised.

Muhoroni Youth vs Bandari (Muhoroni Stadium, 3pm)

The home side have lost their last two fixtures and will want to get back to winning ways in a hurry.

Muhoroni striker Wycliffe Ochomo, scoreless in his last fielding will be keen to add to his league leading five goals this season.

With proper service the bustling Ochomo will be handful to Bandari who, however, are not exactly frail in defence.

Bandari coach Twahir Muhiddin has faulted his strikers for not delivering and will have had a word with the likes of Danny Sserunkuma, Shabaan Kenga, David Kingatua and Anthony Kimani, all proven goal scorers.

The dockers beat Muhoroni three times last year, 3-1 and 1-0 win in the league and 4-1 in a GOtv Shield encounter and, understandably, will be brimming with confidence.

Gor Mahia vs Ushuru (Nyayo Stadium, 4.15m)

Defending champions Gor Mahia will be looking to back up their two-match winning streak with another victory against tricky Ushuru.

Rwandan Jacques Tuyisenge is surely justifying his Sh4million price tag with three goals from two matches – his first two outings of the 2016 league season.

Gor midfielder Ronald Omino is doubtful for the match after suffering a bad fall in their last game against Thika that saw him rushed to hospital in an ambulance.

K’Ogalo dismissed Ushuru with identical 2-0 wins last season and will expect to use, as the Swahili say, the same, same razor blade to shave the tax men.

@Kpl