Ligi Ndogo Planets are on the road to Godot for the most anticipated win of the season.They play Iron Strikers on Saturday 19.
The Planets are on a skid and hope-make that know-they have never needed a turnaround this much. Number five meets number nine,but only two points separate the two teams;Planets are at twenty,Strikers eighteen.A lot of other things separate them,but the veil is thin.
Acquaintances in KFF
The Planets played Iron Strikers in last season's KFF divison one league and tied them 1-1 at home.The Planets beat them 2-1 at their backyard in Karen from a late Samuel Machio strike.
The Strikers won 14 games (Planets 22),tied 8 (Planets 4) and lost 8 (Planets 4) to finish fifth,twenty points behind second placed Planets in last season's KFF Division One league.They scored 56 goals and conceded 26 for a goal difference of 30 (Planets had + 41).
The Planets have a game in hand,though both teams go into weekend's match wounded having dropped their last games on the road.
The Planets dropped one step off the ladder after going down 2-1 to pugnacious Kibera Celtic,Strikers 5-1 losers to Green Berets.Both teams were playing on the road.
Both teams approach the match with a lot of uncertainities.
Strikers were riding roughshod and on a four match unbeaten streak.A draw and an (un)characteristic five goal melee skidded them to a halt.The Planets also had a topsy turvy run,winning on the road,tying at home and were surprise losers to Kibera Celtic who were outsiders on the side of winning.
Both teams approach the match with a lot of uncertainities.
Strikers were riding roughshod and on a four match unbeaten streak.A draw and an (un)characteristic five goal melee skidded them to a halt.The Planets also had a topsy turvy run,winning on the road,tying at home and were surprise losers to Kibera Celtic who were outsiders on the side of winning.
Iron Strikers,though,have kept their point tally intact.They have collected ten points in their last five games compared to the Planets who have managed seven.They have ganered thirteen points,playing at home,to the Planets' nine.Both teams have not scored a lot of points playing away from home;the Planets have managed four points to the Strikers' five in the last five games.
In the league log,both teams have won five games,the Planets wins have been spread out throughout the season while most of the Strikers' wins have come in a resurrected month of April (four wins in four weeks between 14th and 29th April).
The Planets have tied five times to the Strikers' three.All the Strikers' draws were on the road (K Sharks,Congo JMJ and Gatundu Stars) and by an identical 1-1 score.
The Planets have lost three times to the Strikers' six.The Strikers conceded eighteen goals in their first eight matches in which they dropped five of them.The biggest lose was 6-0 to Bandari in Mombasa.They picked a streak and ran it for four matches before it was slowed in a one all tie at Gatundu and snapped at Green Berets.
The Planets have spread fourteen goals between thirteen games and conceded nine.All season they have never given more than three goals.Strikers have given more than three goals three times but have also scored three goals once,in a losing 4-3 effort at Admiral.Strikers have scored fifteen and at twenty six have conceded the most goals in the league.
Home Advantage
Both teams have won most of their points at home.The Planets have won fifteen of their twenty while Strikers have had thirteen of their eighteen at home.
The Planets have played six times on the road,won once tied twice and lost three times.They have scored three goals playng on the road and conceded five times.
Iron strikers have not fared very well on the road in eight games.They have won once tied twice and lost five times for five points.They have scored five goals and conceded 22 goals,the most by any team (KSL Thola Glass are second at 16) for five points.
The Planets remain one of the four teams (Bandari,Sharks and Admiral are the others) who have not lost a home game.They have played seven at home won four and tied three times.They have scored 11 goals.However at four goals,the Planets have conceded at home more than they have scored on the road (three goals).
Iron strikers have played six at home won four tied once and lost once.They have scored eight goals at home and conceded four for their thirteen home points.
Last 5
In the last five matches played,Iron Strikers are second after leaders,Kariobangi Sharks in points won.They have ten points from five matches:won three tied and lost once.They have scored six and equally conceded six goals.The Planets are tenth having won and tied twice and lost once for seven points.They have scored five and conceded four.
In the last five matches played on the road,Iron Strikers are eleventh and Planets thirteenth.Both teams have won once,Strikers have lost twice the Planets once,Planets have tied thrice,Strikers twice.Strikers have scored seven goals and conceded eleven,the Planets have scored three times and conceded five times.
Both Planets and Iron Strikers have played against Thola Glass,KRA and Celtic.Strikers beat all three while the Planets tied Thola and KRA but lost to Celtic.
And the Winner is..
Tough call!So what separates the two?Iron Strikers have never beaten the Planets in two tries.The Planets won their last encounter 2-1 at Strikers.Still it is evenly matched but don't expect the Planets to lose this one!
Planet Starters
Charles Ouma(GK)Harry Gentle,Salim Abdalla,Bobby Ogola,Jeremiah Bright,Cornelius Ekene,Brillian Ochieng,Sven Yida,Samuel Machio,Tom Murila,Vincent Okoth
Pine Samuel Njau (GK),Jaswel Ngugi,Victor Muchina,Abbey Kunrunmi,William Otieno
Planet Starters
Charles Ouma(GK)Harry Gentle,Salim Abdalla,Bobby Ogola,Jeremiah Bright,Cornelius Ekene,Brillian Ochieng,Sven Yida,Samuel Machio,Tom Murila,Vincent Okoth
Pine Samuel Njau (GK),Jaswel Ngugi,Victor Muchina,Abbey Kunrunmi,William Otieno
Head-to-head Last Six
Matches
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12 May Celtic 2-1 Planets
|
Comparison of the last six games (last game is on the right)
Planets
|
W
|
D
|
W
|
L
|
W
|
L
|
Strikers
|
W
|
W
|
W
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
Scored goals last 6 games
Planets
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
Strikers
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
Opponents scored last 6 games
Planets
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
Strikers
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
5
|
Performance last 6 games
W(H)
|
W(A)
|
D(H)
|
D(A)
|
L(H)
|
L(A)
|
|
Planets
|
2
|
1
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
Strikers
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
