The Kenya Premier
League Limited (KPL) first leg is over and the team of choice, Gor Mahia aka
K’Ogallo, are comfortably perched at the top, unbeaten in 15 matches and
threatening to pull away from the rest. Hot in pursuit are their nemesis and a crisis-laden
Ingw’e, Ulinzi Stars and Sofapaka. K’Ogallo, Ingw’e, Ushuru, Bandari and
Nairobi City Stars all ended the final day of the first round on a high with
narrow yet well-deserved victories. Among the notable teams to end it on a
losing end are Tusker and Sofapaka.
After 15 matches, Gor
are atop with 39 points, Sofapaka and Ulinzi Stars are on 27, Ingw’e on 25
while Western Stima and Ushuru close the top-five on 23 points. A whooping 264
goals have been scored, among them top-drawer strikes. Among them KCB’s Mungai Kiongera’s
thunderbolt against Muhoroni Sugar at Kasarani and a final day scorcher against
Ulinzi Stars at Afraha Stadium! But the biggest talking point on the final day
was at Nyayo Stadium as AFC Leopards threatened to boycott their clash against
Sofapaka. After nearly an hour of painful of anxiety, Ingw’e took to the pitch
but not without drama and a poor face of shambles. A depleted Ingw’etook to the pitch without a goalkeeper and striker, Karim Ndungwa
was the stand-in man between the sticks. On the bench, they only had three
substitutes! However, Ingw’e held on to their claws and with about 20 minutes
to go, substitute Mohammed Diallo’s right-wing cross was deflected for an own
goal by Sofapaka’s Abdul Yorou! The drama was far from over however as, Diallo
pulled an outrageous handball to deny Sofapaka the equalizer. He saw red but
the resulting John Baraza penalty was well saved by striker-turned-keeper,
Ndungwa, drawing wild celebrations from the Ingw’e faithful in the stands!
Despite all the odds, a depleted 14-man squad for Ingw’e took the maximum
points.
Great goals have been
scored, ugly incidents on the pitch gone un-punished, financial crisis have hit
GorMahia, AFC Leopards and Sofapaka hard and poor refereeing decisions have
been a major talk! The Ulinzi Stars- Gor Mahia (City Stadium), Gor Mahia-Sofapaka
(City Stadium), AFC Leopards-Western Stima (Moi Stadium) and Tusker-Bandari (Ruaraka)
are some of the matches that epitomized the questionably poor refereeing
decisions that have drawn cries from coaches, players and fans alike in the
2015 season. Awkward calls, questionable plays gone un-punished and downright incompetence,
or lack of it altogether best describe the whistlers in the field of play. However,
the poor refereeing is the result of a supremacy battle that Football Kenya
Federation (FKF) has extended to KPL, and as a result, KPL has had to do with
not the best of referees!
AFC Leopards have had
to face a near financial death as their sponsors, Mumias Sugar have had to
endure dry pockets. Players have been unpaid for months and the near-boycott of
Sunday’s clash against Sofapaka was just a tip of the ice-berg. At one point,
Harambee Stars captain, Victor Mugubi donated Ksh 700, 000 to rescue the team
that is facing such dire crisis. This financial crunch has ashamed the Ingw’e
den and turned their loyal players into near-beggars. Remember Martin
Imbalambala being locked out of his house in Thika over unpaid rent? Things got
worse and chairman, Kasavuli unceremoniously handed over to a care-taker
committee that is led by, long-time Ingw’e man, Thomas Ole Magelo. Things are
thick financially and unless a miracle happens, the second leg will find a
dying leopard! Things at GorMahia and Sofapaka are not any better and a bread
initiative is what Gor Mahia is depending on. Most of the clubs have begging
bowls as unpaid salaries and allowances become a norm in the league!
The supremacy battle
between a political FKF and KPL threatened the 2015 KPL season but after a mild
court battle, action resumed on the pitches. However, the coast is not yet
clear and a perfect example is the barring of FIFA-accredited officials from
handling matches. Subsequently, poor refereeing has been the talk of the KPL
2015 first leg.
As the first leg wound
up and fans celebrated great strikes, telling saves and feisty affairs on the
pitch, poor refereeing and financial crisis threatened to cut short the
excitement. The break is a God-given chance for clubs to get better players
into their units and help sort the devil of financial crisis, like Ingw’e,
K’Ogallo and Sofapaka. Mathare United are still enjoying the timely
multi-million sponsorship by insurance giants, BRITAM.
The second leg should
bring in more football joy to the lovers of the beautiful game. It is all there
is on the field, until the elite European 2015-16 season kicks off in August! We
all hope to have more and exciting positive talking points from the 2015 KPL
second leg.
Let us enjoy Kenyan
soccer, it is our pride!
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