KPL 2019/20 Season: SportPesa News Best 11 After First Round Of Matches

NAIROBI, Kenya- With the first round of matches in the 2019/20 Kenya Premier League (KPL) season recently concluded, Tusker FC are in command of the standings with 37 points after 17 games.

The brewers are on course to clinch a first league title since they won the domestic double in 2016.

They are a point ahead of second place Kakamega Homeboyz FC and two ahead of record KPL winners Gor Mahia FC, who have played two games less than their competition.

The first half of the season has seen the expulsion of Sony Sugar FC, who gave away three walk-overs and had to be removed from the league due to the law of the Kenyan top tier.

Sony were relegated to the second tier National Super League (NSL), where they will compete from next season in a bid to retain KPL status for the 2021/2022 campaign.

Chemelil Sugar FC are at the bottom of the table with an unacceptable four points after 17 games, having only managed one win this season, a 1-0 victory over Nzoia Sugar FC.

Bandari FC, who have been runners-up for the last two seasons, are languishing in 11th with 18 points and are currently under the tutelage of Twahir Muhiddin after letting go of head coach Bernard Mwalala.

AFC Leopards SC, who are hunting down a first league title in 21 years, have been in a financial black hole since the exit of global technology and entertainment company SportPesa.

Despite the monetary issues that have hit the club and the exit of eight key players, the side have done surprisingly well and are in seventh place with 28 points ahead of the second leg of the season.

As a two-week break comes to an end and the league set to resume this weekend, SportPesa News has a look at the best 11 from the start of the campaign to date.

In goal, veteran goalkeeper Boniface Oluoch gets the nod ahead of all the league’s top custodians. Even after the signing of David Robert Mapigano from Tanzania’s Singida United, Oluoch’s experience and heroics have seen him not only retain his starting position but also concede only eight goals in the process.

Kenya international and last season’s KPL defender of the year Joash Onyango headlines the back line. The calm and hard tackling center back has been consistent throughout the campaign and is definitely a key factor in Gor’s quest to retain the title.

Western Stima FC’s right back Kelvin Wesonga deserves a place in the team due to his speed and extra width he provides down the flank, which goes a long way in their sixth-place standing on the competitive log.

Johnstone Omurwa’s switch to Wazito seems to be paying off with already a goal of the season contender in a game where he scored a brace and his consistency throughout the season is worth taking note.

Baraka Badi broke into the spotlight last season for Kenya Commercial Bank FC (KCB) on the left flank and has continued his impressive defensive capabilities for the bankers under new coach Zedekiah ‘Zico’ Otieno.

In the midfield, Sofapaka’s Elli Asieche seems to have rediscovered his best form as he continues to flourish for John Baraza’s charges. He is the clubs top scorer this season with seven goals to his name.

Since being named Gor Mahia’s new club captain, Kenneth Muguna has risen to the task and has solely guided his team to three important wins. The prodigal son has scored six goals and assisted four more until the end of the first leg.

Another prodigal son, Humphrey Mieno, has continued to show that a football brain beats speed and tenacity all day. The lanky midfielder has been inspirational in keeping the brewers at the top of the standings with his creativity in the center of the pack and his five goals are just a bonus.

To lead the forward line, the first name that comes to mind is Leopards new signing John Mark Makwatta. The former Al-Nasr striker currently leads the goal-scoring charts with 12 from 17 games, which include a hat trick and three separate braces.

Timothy Otieno of Tusker FC has to have a spot in this team reserved for him after a remarkable start to the season has seen him score 10 goals in the first half of the campaign. His goals include two match-wining ones that has inspired Robert Matano’s charges to maintain their pace at the top.

Both of Ulinzi Stars forwards have been great this season and both have scored seven goals but Oscar Wamalwa gets the nod ahead of last season’s Golden Boot runner-up Enosh Ochieng’. Wamalwa’s sturdy physique and stubbornness saw him earn a maiden national team call-up, showing there is plenty to come from the young forward.