Sports

Tusker are  new KPL champions

Monday, June 13th, 2022 00:57 | By
Tusker coach Robert Matano. PD/ RODGERS NDEGWA

Litigation beckons in the 20020/2021 Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League even as Tusker were unofficially declared the champions after a 2-0 victory over Posta Rangers in Ruaraka yesterday. 

Shami Kibawana opened the floodgates in the 28th minute before the bottlers ‘successfully’ defended their title with the second strike with ten minutes remaining on the clock.

In what is the worst organized league in the history of football in Kenya and which lacked the usual fanfare, there was confusion galore in the venues of two decisive matches for the title.

 While reports at FKF Transition Committee indicated that the match between Tusker and Rangers would be in Ruaraka, others said it was programmed for Nyayo National Stadium.

And more comics would crop up with confusion whether the match between Sharks and Homeboyz would be at Bukhungu or Mumias Complex.

Kakamega Homeboyz, who needed four goals to nil against Kariobangi Sharks to beat Tusker to the title, are the runners-up on an inferior goal aggregate against the latter after Sharks failed to show up for the match in Kakamega.

As it appears, Homeboyz, not least other aggrieved teams, are likely to drag the FKF Transition Committee to court over having their two final matches not being played.

Homeboyz owner Cleopahas Shimanyula read mischief in the non-materialization of the tie against Homeboyz and pointed out that match-fixing was infiltrating the local game.

Prior to the un-played match, Homeboyz had been awarded a walk-over by FCF Talanta in Ruaraka.

The league, which is not recognized by Fifa over the indefinite suspension slapped on the country by the world body, was mired by even more confusion  after relegation-bound Vihiga Bullets failed to turn up for the match against another relegation candidate  Wazito in Kasarani.

According to a Bullets insider, the team deemed it fit to skip the match as it had nothing to lose since it has already been relegated, besides the fact that it even had no funds to honour it.

Despite being awarded the match, 16th-placed Wazito may as well have to prepare for a play-off against a top National Super League side if they are to remain in the top flight league.

In the meantime, AFC Leopards had an anticlimax in the season after an embarrassing 3-1 defeat by Nzoia Sugar in Bungoma as Ulinzi Stars ended on a high by edging Sofapaka 1-0 in Nairobi.

After a balanced first half, Harambee Stars trialist Enos Ochieng’ found himself unmarked in the six-yard box to give Ulinzi the winning goal.

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