Former league champions dent Bandari’s slim title hopes
AFC Leopards dented any lingering hopes of Bandari FC winning their maiden Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League after edging them out 1-0 in a fixture played at the new Dandora Stadium on Sunday.
Heading into the round of 28 tie, the Dockers were among the teams still chasing table leaders Gor Mahia for the title with six matches remaining to conclude the season.
However, Bandari’s hopes of returning to Mombasa with three points from the battle and keeping alive their slim hopes of lifting the crown were dashed emphatically when Clifton Miheso scored for Ingwe the only goal of the game in the 39th minute.
The defeat left Bandari under John Baraza, in the fifth position of the 18-team table with 45 points, but a whopping 15 points behind Gor Mahia, who defeated Murang’a Seal 3-1 on Saturday. Bandari have won 12 matches, drawn six, and lost nine.
Meanwhile, the victory saw Ingwe return to winning ways in the top-flight having lost 1-0 to rivals Gor Mahia in the Mashemeji derby in their last assignment. Ingwe also managed to leapfrog Ka-kamega Homeboyz to position six, with 41 points accumulated from 10 wins, 11 draws, and seven defeats.
“We wanted to return to winning ways and it was nice to do it against a strong team like Bandari, they were good but my players also proved their worth by sticking to the game plan and we even-tually won the game,” said Ingwe coach Tomas Trucha.
Bandari official Twaha Mbarak conceded defeat by saying: “It was a thriller, which ended with a successful revenge mission for AFC Leopards, it was not our day, we live to fight another day.”
Kenya Police kept their pressure to wrestle the title from Gor Mahia going following a deserved 2-1 victory against Homeboyz. It was the visiting Homeboyz, who took the lead against the run of play in the 45th minute through Kevin Amwayi and went into the half-time break leading 1-0.
However, in the second half, Police, under the tutelage of Salim Babu, levelled matters through their top scorer Tito Okello in the 61st minute before Marvin Nabwire ensured victory was safe with a well-taken effort in the 90th minute. Despite the win, Police remained second on the log, 12 points behind Gor Mahia.
The law enforcers have won 14 matches, drawn nine, and lost five while Gor Mahia have won 17, drawn nine, and lost only two. Apart from chasing for the league title, Police are also in the race to win their maiden trophy as they are in the semi-finals of the Mozzart Bet Cup where they will face AFC Leopards.
Meanwhile, league matches involving Nairobi City Stars versus Ulinzi Stars and Posta Rangers versus FC Talanta were postponed at the last minute due to the poor playing surface at Machakos Stadium. Both teams had already arrived at the venue for the game, but after consultation, they agreed to postpone the matches.
