Table topping Tusker will be looking to extend their five-point lead at the summit of the league table at home to Chemelil Sugar, while champs Gor Mahia will be aiming to truncate that gap when they face Ushuru. But the match of the weekend should be the clash between familiar foes AFC Leopards and Mathare United at Nyayo Stadium.
SATURDAY
City Stars vs Ulinzi Stars (Nyayo Stadium, 2pm)
The soldiers painfully lost their last match through a penalty in the closing stages to Tusker that saw them remain winless in three consecutive games. Talk about wounded pride.
Ugandan coach Tamale Pinto will stand on the touchline for City Stars for the first time since he was appointed coach on Sunday.
Ulinzi exacted a 3-0 loss to City Stars in the first leg and will want to return to winning ways with another big win.
City Stars’ enterprising striker Jimmy Bagaye, and by far their most potent attack weapon, misses this match after accumulating five yellow cards.
Thika United vs Western Stima (Thika Stadium, 3pm)
Having been thrashed 4-0 by AFC Leopards a week ago, Thika United will, understandably, be desperate to get their groove back.
But they face a strong Western Stima side that is eight places above them on the table and have lost just four matches so far this season.
Forwards Samuel Mwanje and Suleiman Ngotho will miss this match for Thika, as they are serving mandatory one match bans for accumulating five yellow card.
Mathare United vs AFC Leopards (Nyayo Stadium, 4.15pm)
Perhaps the match of the weekend.
AFC Leopards, featuring several new faces – the most prominent international forward Mungai Kiongera, made a bold statement last weekend when they tore Thika United to shreds in a 4-0 romp in Mumias.
The emphatic win ended their eight-match winless streak. They will be further motivated by the arrival of Malian striker Moussa Sissoko who provided two assists as they thrashed lower tier side Vapor Sports 4-0 in a friendly match on Wednesday in Nairobi.
Mathare United will come into this match wounded from a 1-0 defeat by Western Stima as their promising midfielder Eric Johanna comes face-to-face with a team that had targeted him for acquisition this past transfer period.
The two sides battled to a 1-1 draw in their first leg encounter in February.
SUNDAY
Tusker vs Chemelil Sugar (Kenyatta Stadium, 3pm)
Tusker were helped by a Stephen Owusu penalty last weekend to conjure up a win against formidable Ulinzi Stars and open up a five-point lead at the top of the table.
Owusu will be looking to add onto his season’s four goals against a side they thrashed 3-0 in the first leg.
But they are up a Chemelil that has won their last two matches and let in just three goals in their last six matches, and just one goal at most in a match.
SonySugar vs Bandari (Awendo Green Stadium, 3pm)
Former Kakamega Homeboyz striker Jeremiah Wanjala is looking for his maiden goal for Sony since he signed for the club in June, and will feel hard pressed to open his accounts.
The sugar millers are riding a confidence crest after going five games unbeaten and have scored in all those games.
Bandari, without a win in four games, but 1-0 winners in this reverse fixture in Mombasa, will need all their wits about them to pull out a result in the notoriously hostile environment of Awendo.
Muhoroni Youth vs Posta Rangers (Muhoroni Stadium, 3pm)
High riding Posta Rangers seem to have hit a bad patch having picked just one point in their last three games.
Considered dark horses the Zedekiah Otieno-coached side will look to regain their purple patch.
Working to Ranger’s favour is the unavailability of league top scorer Wycliffe Ochomo for Muhoroni. The proven goal getter, with 11 strikes thus far, is on an automatic one match ban for receiving a red card in their last outing.
Rangers beat Muhoroni 2-0 in their first leg clash played in February.
Kakamega Homeboyz vs Sofapaka (Mumias Sugar Sports Complex, 3pm)
Kakamega Homeboyz were expected to fall to defending champions Gor Mahia last weekend, but they fought gallantly to secure a draw, and some in their quarters will feel they should have won that game.
Hard to beat at home and with a revamped side that features the likes of Jairus Adira, Stephen Wakhanya and Abbas Akiyemi, the home side will feel confident of securing a good win against the badly faded Sofapaka, who are increasingly looking at the jaws of relegation.
Ushuru vs Gor Mahia (Nyayo Stadium, 4.15pm)
Defending champions Gor Mahia passed on the chance to go second following an unexpected 1-1 draw with Kakamega Homeboyz and will be keen to bounce back to their championship winning ways.
With the return of goal-hungry Meddie Kagere – who aptly announced his arrival with a goal – playing alongside club top scorer and Rwandan compatriot Jacques Tuyisenge, K’Ogalo no doubt possess one of the most formidable strike force this part of Africa.
Ushuru have gone three matches unbeaten and will take courage from their 1-1 draw with the reigning champions in their first leg meeting.
