Relegation Battle Headlines Six-Match SPL Weekend

NAIROBI, Kenya- Thika United FC could become the first team to be relegated from the 2018 SportPesa Premier League (SPL) if they fail to beat Nzoia United FC at Bungoma's Sudi Stadium on Sunday.

Thika who have won only five games in the entire campaign are rock bottom on 23 from 30 games and need a miracle in their remaining four matches to claw a seven-point deficit between them and safety to remain in the top flight.

The milkmen battled to a surprise 1-0 win over record league champions Gor Mahia FC last Sunday at the Kenyatta Stadium, re-igniting the spark in their quest to avoid the axe but will need a miracle in their remaining four games but their hopes were sunk when they went down 0-2 to Tusker FC midweek.

Thika will be relegated should they lose at Nzoia and either of Vihiga United FC or Chemelil Sugar FC who occupy 15th and 16th places on the log tied at 31 points win on their visits to Sony Sugar FC and Posta Rangers FC in that order on Saturday.

Ex-Mathare United FC head coach, Gabriel 'Kingi' Njoroge has his work cut out to keep the club that has been a fixture in the country's top division since 2003 in the league next term with his team having survived the chop last season when they won the first ever SPL/National Super League play-off against Ushuru FC.

Wazito FC (27) the team above Thika on the log have chalked two wins in their last five and face 13th-placed Zoo Kericho FC (34) who are not out of the woods yet.

Zoo, who are without a win in their last three matches, last tasted victory in a 3-1 triumph over Nzoia on August 11 making their Sunday clash at Nairobi's Camp Toyoyo a relegation six-pointer.

Vihiga who occupy the SPL/NSL play-off position only on goal-difference and just like Wazito, are playing in their maiden season in the top flight come up against a Rangers (37) who have basically nothing else to play for aside from another top 10 finish.

Firing upfront

Head coach and former Kenya international, Mike Mururi, has the reputation of forging teams that are had to beat but they will need to get firing upfront to avoid the drop. Vihiga have netted only four goals in their last six SPL outings that have brought two wins and a similar number of draws and defeats.

Mururi saw his side come from a goal down to deny in form Sony victory in a 1-1 draw last time and the pressure is on the tactician who led Kakamega Homeboyz FC to their best-ever league finish of fifth last year to grind out another positive result when he meets former international teammate, Sammy 'Pamzo' Omollo. 

Chemelil, another mainstay of the top division since 1997, travel to a Sony (38) side who are motivated by the naming of their star striker Enock Agwanda as the SportPesa/Sports Journalists Association of Kenya Player of the Month winner for August for a second successive month.

Agwanda has been inspirational since returning to his boyhood club during the mid-season transfer window, scoring nine goals which have helped them rise from the bottom three to 10th in the SPL standings.

Second-placed Bandari FC (55) are unbeaten since May 27 when they went down 2-0 to Tusker FC (46), and will be looking to continue their good form when they lock horns with Nakumatt FC (35) at the Mbaraki Sports Complex.

The Dockers need five points from their remaining fixtures to record their highest ever league finish of second, bettering the fourth-place they achieved in the 2015 campaign.

The last of the fixtures in the six-match SPL weekend will see 2016 champions Tusker battle it out against Francis Kimanzi’s Mathare United (42) on Sunday afternoon in a traditionally big domestic fixture although this season, the two sides have struggled to stamp their mark in the competition.

The SportPesa Shield semis will be played at the MISC Kasarani on Sunday, hence the fewer fixtures on the weekend schedule.