Crisis-ridden Wazito teeters on cliff-hanger

Is it another classic citation of grace to grass for flamboyant Swedish businessman Ricardo Badoer, the owner of FKF Premier League side Wazito?

This is the biggest question after reports filtered in that there is disquiet in the team amidst a mutiny by players over unpaid allowances which have resulted in lacklustre  performance by the team.

Sources within the team intimated that a section of Wazito’s senior players have boycotted training over a default by the management to pay salaries for the last three months.

“The situation at the club is dire and players have openly stated they won’t honour matches unless their demands are met. The junior players may follow suit and if that happens, the team will be thrown out of the league as stipulated in the rules of the competition,” said the source.

Winless streak

The revelations were made even as it is believed that Badoer, who is based in Dubai, is mulling over selling the club which was founded 11 years ago.

Matters for Wazito, who are placed in the sixteenth position out of eighteen participating teams, came to ahead at the weekend when they travelled to Bukhungu Stadium in Kakamega for the match against Vihiga Bullets with a lean squad.

This could be the reason why the team lost 4-2 to Bullets who are lying at the lower reaches of the league.

For Bullets, their first win of the season came as a huge sigh of relief as it enabled them to swap places with Mathare United who are now lying at the basement with a paltry seven points from 14 matches.

It was former champions Gor Mahia who condemned Mathare United deeper into the relegation zone by beating them by a solitary goal 1-0 in Kasarani on Sunday.

During a weekend of upsets, Tusker’s title defence received a severe jolt after falling 1-0 to Posta Rangers in Thika, former Gor Mahia player Bernard Ondiek scoring the Mail Men’s lone goal.

Pride of place goes to Kakamega Homeboyz and Nairobi City Stars for an improvement after faltering in their respective matches the previous weekend.

After losing 1-0 to Talanta at home, Homeboyz vanquished Kariobangi Sharks by a similar margin to remain at the summit of the league.

For City Stars, a 1-0 loss to AFC Leopards seemed to have been a learning experience as they prevailed 2-1 over Talanta to move to the third position with 23 points from thirteen matches.

Elsewhere at Utalii, it was double trouble for KCB  against Bidco as they not only had defender Robinson Kamura sent off following a vicious tackle on an opponent but also lost the match 1-0 to give leeway to Homeboyz to continue leading the league standings.

There was no goal glut in Nairobi although multiple champions Gor did well by ending their four-match winless streak by overcoming Mathare.

This was the first win for Gor after a barren draw against Bandari on December 12.