The FKF D1A league has never been more exciting. As it picks up steam,upsets are rife, alongside the normal wonderful displays of soccer skills. Outcomes hang on a tinge and the also-rans are not ran anymore.
Stat of the Week
One of the most remarkable runs, to mention but a few, would be Mathare United’s 10 points in 6 games. After managing only 7 points in-hold your breath-their first 16 matches, Mathare are slowly emerging like the outfit that claimed national glory in 2008.The flurry came against formidable foes, claiming points from minnows and favorites alike.
So goes for Kibera Celtic,Magongo Rangers and Administration Police. The three, make that four teams have had an amazing turnaround compensating for their first leg woes by winning a collective 42 points in their last 6 matches.
Though the ultimate dream would elude them at this point (except for AP),it is worth mentioning that their sudden resolve has injected into the league the last adrenaline shot it required to emerge as a fully fledged pool of excitement.
The outcome promises a last minute dash as more and more teams recognize the reality in their chances at promotion.
Before it steadies, though, let us hurtle with into the yet-to-be, and try to predict the unpredictable.
Game 1 Administration Police (4) v Nairobi Stima (7): Sat 21
First Round NBI Stima 2 v A.P 3 24 March
Nairobi Stima beat A.P 1-0 at home in the FKL nationwide league on 1st of May 2011.Five months later,in the return leg,they forced a 0-0 tie. Another five months and A.P regrouped to redeem themselves,winning at Stima, in the first leg of this year’s FKF league.
One would expect AP to have an easy ride going into the return match.They are on a surreal run, winning 4 of their last 6 matches albeit over sub promotion opponents.
Prior to that, after dropping their league opener to Ligi Ndogo,they almost equaled the league’s longest winning streak (6 games by Bidco) winning 5 matches before being slowed on the road by Bandari and Bidco and at home by Moyas.
Lowly Gatundu United,in its resurgence, claimed a victim in NBI Stima.The shock ignited Stima into winning their next 2 games then sandwiched another W between 2 home and away ties. They are visiting Police at a time when they urgently need to come out of their outage, lest the promotion current starts to flow against them. They might have to wait one more match as AP is highly favored in this one.
Comparison of the last six games (last game is on the right)
A.P | W | W | W | W | D | W |
NBI Stima | L | W | W | D | W | D |
Scored goals last 6 games
A.P | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
NBI Stima | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Opponents scored goals last 6 games
A.P | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
NBI Stima | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Performance last 6 games
W (H) | W (A) | D (H) | D (A) | L (H) | L (A) | |
A.P | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
NBI Stima | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Game 2 KSL Thola Glass (19) v Gatundu Stars (17): Sat 21
First Round Gatundu 1 v Thola 1 31st March
This is a match between teams trying to ward off relegation.Their positioning as well as team statistics is not enviable.Both teams have not won (collectively) in the last 12 games.
Thola Glass has a slight edge playing at home. At 14th they are above Moyas,KRA,Coast United,Green Berets and their immediate foes,Gatundu Stars in points earned at home.Gatundu,on the other end are 11th and above them in road points (9 to 3).
Gatundu held their own a week earlier against a tiring Sharks, letting go in the wee minutes through an own goal,the epitome of a team under duress. They have scored only a single goal in the last 6 games and conceded 8, the highest +- after Sparki (0, 11).
At full strength, Gatundu has won on the road before; a depleted Gatundu can still hold its own on the road, but maybe on another day.
Comparison of the last six games (last game is on the right)
Thola | L | L | D | L | L | L |
Gatundu | L | L | L | L | L | D |
Scored goals last 6 games
Thola | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Gatundu | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Opponents scored goals last 6 games
Thola | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 2 |
Gatundu | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
Performance last 6 games
W (H) | W (A) | D (H) | D (A) | L (H) | L (A) | |
Thola | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
Gatundu | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
Game 4 Magongo Rangers (12) v Bandari (3): Sat 21
First Round Bandari 2 v Magongo 22 April
This is part of the attraction, for anybody in Mombasa this weekend. The excitement any coastal derby generates is instantaneous, its effects, joy and pain quite long lasting.Magongo are at home to Bandari in a division where the term ‘home team’ echoes heavy undertones and takes real meaning.
Bandari, as expected, at this point in the league, are on the acceleration pedal. They have not lost in the last 6 games.Magongo have lost only once.Bandari have scored 11 goals in the last 6 and conceded only 1.At 3, Magongo have evenly conceded and scored. The last time Bandari lost on the road was 4 months ago; against a solid Bidco team that has since taken the league hostage.And at a time when they were still gaining the reins in the lower league.It is almost excusable to surmise that Bandari will sail on.
Wrong.
Magongo,too,have a solid run at home. Backed by a vociferous following, they have not not lost at home since Admiral beat them 1-0 in May.Bandari has not beaten a cross-town rival on the road,since an acrimonious tussle saw them 2-1 winners at Coast United on 24th March.
A lot has changed since then.
Magongo have solidified after starting the league on the wrong foot.Massive loses (the most embarrassing being 3-0 at Thola Glass) threatened to throttle their hopes.They turned around and won some importat road fixtures,the most memorable saw them trash their way into a 1-0 win at Ligi Ndogo.
Though they have not steadied, the coastal disdain, or the unsung respect (or fear),for Bandari should see them hold their own as they battle to a draw.
Comparison of the last six games (last game is on the right)
Magongo | L | D | W | D | W | D |
Bandari | D | W | W | W | W | D |
Scored goals last 6 games
Magongo | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Bandari | 0 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
Opponents scored goals last 6 games
Magongo | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Bandari | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Performance last 6 games
W (H) | W (A) | D (H) | D (A) | L (H) | L (A) | |
Magongo | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
Bandari | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Game 5 Kibera Celtic (15) v Mathare United (18): Sat 21
First Round Mathare United 0 v Celtic 0 April
This is the first time Mathare are going into a match not being placed last in the table.Hurrah to that!An impressive five match coupled with a faltering Beret and a seemingly listless Thola has pushed them up two spots.
The turnaround was evidently coming at some point in previous losing efforts.They held Bandari away,scored two past Sharks slowed down a streaking Ligi Ndogo and,in the latest, tied a lackluster Mahakama.
They have lost only twice in their last six, notable in that at one point it took them 8 matches to earn a point.Mathare have won on the road (at Moyas) in their previous 6 ties.
Kibera Celtic is also doing the Cinderella dance. After starting the league disastrously, Celtic wrapped up their first leg show gaining 7 of a possible 18 points. They are yet to lose at home in the last 6.They are steadily managing the upward rungs and if it continues, at some point, Celtic will be fully confident of surviving relegation.
Not yet though. Away goes Mathare with one.
Comparison of the last six games (last game is on the right)
Celtic | D | D | L | D | W | D |
Mathare | W | W | L | L | W | D |
Scored goals last 6 games
Celtic | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Mathare | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
Opponents scored goals last 6 games
Celtic | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Mathare | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Performance last 6 games
W (H) | W (A) | D (H) | D (A) | L (H) | L (A) | |
Celtic | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
Mathare | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Game 6 Congo JMJ (9) v Moyas (11): Sat 21
First Round Moyas 1 v JMJ 0 22nd April
Moyas tucked away a win in the first encounter, and at a time when JMJ were still fabled as former premier league side. Several slaps on the face later and JMJ have seen the reality, and like a true (former) premier side, they picked themselves up and are slowly negotiating the bends.
Moyas,on the other hand are trying to rediscover the form that made them worth mentioning. Their lowest point, perhaps, would be when Mathare stepped on them in their current mission of resurgence.
Their woes return,shortly,courtesy of a determined JMJ.
Comparison of the last six games (last game is on the right)
JMJ | D | L | W | W | W | D |
Moyas | L | D | D | W | D | L |
Scored goals last 6 games
JMJ | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
Moyas | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Opponents scored goals last 6 games
JMJ | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Moyas | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Performance last 6 games
W (H) | W (A) | D (H) | D (A) | L (H) | L (A) | |
JMJ | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Moyas | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Game 1 Mathare Youth (18) v KSL Thola Glass (19): Sun 22
First Round Thola Glass 1 v Mathare 1 25 March
Thola Glass will be coming off a win over Gatundu Stars while Mathare will have tied Kibera Celtic.With their guard down, fortune should smile on Thola Glass as the two tired teams will battle to a draw.
Comparison of the last six games (last game is on the right)
Mathare | W | W | L | L | W | D |
Thola | L | L | D | L | L | L |
Scored goals last 6 games
Mathare | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
Thola | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Opponents scored goals last 6 games
Mathare | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Thola | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 2 |
Performance last 6 games
W (H) | W (A) | D (H) | D (A) | L (H) | L (A) | |
Mathare | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Thola | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
Game 2 Ligi Ndogo (5) v K.R.A (10): Sun 22
First Round K.R.A 0 v Ligi Ndogo 0 24 March
This is epic but Ligi Ndogo will win.
K.R.A is on a high of highs. They brought an end to one of the longest home runs in the league by beating league leaders K Sharks. Sharks had won an unequalled 22 home games.Ironically, K.R.A stopped the run 6 days before it could hit full cycle of a year (the last time Sharks lost at home was in July 24, 1-0 to Muhoroni Youth).Sharks went down 1-0 to 10 man K.R.A on 18 July That would be their fourth win;nutmeg another three and they win 3 in a row for the first time this season. So much to smile about for K.R.A.
So much to rue lost chances for Ligi Ndogo.The Planets started target practice in a rare home loss to Magongo and have been practicing ever since. They were on target against Celtic to salvage a draw before firing more blanks at Iron Strikers.Their practice should come of fruition as they take on K.R.A in a game they need to win to reemerge as true contenders.
K.R.A have a slight edge statistically; they have 13 points in the last 6 matches, Ligi Ndogo has 9.History will burst K.R.A’s bubble though. No team has ever beaten two top 5 teams in a row…Or even on the road.K.R.A has had a few firsts. This would be a long shot.
Comparison of the last six games (last game is on the right)
Ligi | W | D | W | L | D | D |
K.R.A | D | W | W | W | L | W |
Scored goals last 6 games
Ligi | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
K.R.A | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Opponents scored goals last 6 games
Ligi | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
K.R.A | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Performance last 6 games
W (H) | W (A) | D (H) | D (A) | L (H) | L (A) | |
Ligi | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
K.R.A | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Game 3 Admiral (8) v Moyas (11): Sun 22
First Round Moyas 2 v Admiral 3 4 March
Admiral invites Moyas at the wrong time.For Moyas, that is. Admiral is desperately in need of a win, redemption, turnaround, name it.Anything, but not another lose. They lost at home for the first time in their last match of the season to Bidco,then tied in their first league match in the second leg away to Bandari.
At one time they were pure contenders. They have slowly faded out of sight, and at position 8 could sink further if they lose and Congo win.
Lose they will not. A nervous Moyas takes a very shaky form to the coastal town of Mombasa. They have dropped 3 of their last 6 games. Blame it on the heave factor, the slump that comes with energy spent beating a top team, in this case,Kariobangi Sharks.Moyas was looking good and at some point had the longest winning streak in the league (5).
The turnaround may start when they come back to Nairobi. For now they should not expect so much from this road run.
Comparison of the last six games (last game is on the right)
Admiral | D | W | W | D | L | D |
Moyas | L | D | L | W | D | L |
Scored goals last 6 games
Admiral | 1 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
Moyas | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Opponents scored goals last 6 games
Admiral | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
Moyas | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Performance last 6 games
W (H) | W (A) | D (H) | D (A) | L (H) | L (A) | |
Admiral | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
Moyas | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
Game 4 Green Berets (20) v Mahakama (6): Sun 22
First Round Mahakama 1 v Berets 0 18 April
Mahakama has become the league’s ugly duckling or close to,anyway.They have refused to win, even when the net itself dared them, as was the case against Stima and Mathare,to mention but two.They have refused to separate themselves from the throes of mediocrity often swinging at slightly below the leaders and slightly above the, led; they….Well,that’s stretching it too far,but point is,Mahakama need to win so badly and they can.Reason?Because of their pedigree ,depth, administrative motivation, players and,now, coach.
Mahakama is the short summary of big leaguers in D1 soccer. Hold all your fingers up and you have the number of imports from the league of hard knocks. Hold one up and you would have the number of seasons they featured in the premier league. The niceties,of late, are not quick in coming. Curve your fingers into an ‘O’,to have the number of times they have won in the last 5 matches, a determining factor for any contender.
And it does not stop there. The ties and loses have come against competition that can be termed beatable, by Mahakama standards. Though it is a very competitive league, they cannot be excused for holding their cap to some of the teams.
At this stage in their reverie, Green Berets are normally shaken into the reality of impending doom, some of which has to be rubbed into their vocation as servicemen. They would dust that off, and then claim a major scalp, before bunkering back for another win furlough.
Here comes a likely one and what timing; Mahakama are the worthiest of opponents for Berets rebirth.
So Mahakama will be shocked at Beret before they can mature into a beautiful swan.
Comparison of the last six games (last game is on the right)
Berets | L | L | L | L | D | L |
Mahakama | W | D | D | L | D | D |
Scored goals last 6 games
Berets | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Mahakama | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Opponents scored goals last 6 games
Berets | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
Mahakama | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Performance last 6 games
W (H) | W (A) | D (H) | D (A) | L (H) | L (A) | |
Berets | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
Mahakama | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Game 5 Sparkie Youth (14) v Congo JMJ (9): Sun 22
First Round JMJ 2 v Sparki 0 7 July
Sparki have lost their last 6 games the last 2 being walk-ons to Nairobi teams. All the loses have been on the road, probably a foresight to curtail impending financial woes. So their next 6 matches should be either at home, or very close to home. They start at home to JMJ then play the next three at home.
High riding JMJ meet a Sparki team hungry for a turnaround brought about by design. Don’t assume they will snap out of their shell immediately. Laying off is a harbinger. It develops a period of game day inertness. Expect a tie in this one, but a win in their next for Sparki.
Comparison of the last six games (last game is on the right)
JMJ | D | L | W | W | W | D |
Sparki | L | L | L | L | L | L |
Scored goals last 6 games
JMJ | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
Sparki | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Opponents scored goals last 6 games
JMJ | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Sparki | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
Performance last 6 games
W (H) | W (A) | D (H) | D (A) | L (H) | L (A) | |
JMJ | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Sparki | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |