DEFENDING CHAMPS v TALENTED
CHALLENGERS
Pundits reckon this is sure going
to be a humdinger. The defending champions take on the league leaders at a
venue that is seemingly neutral to both sides. The league leaders are gathering
premier league points like a magnet on filings and they have taken a mind
blowing 26 out of a possible 30. The Leopards have won all the matches played
away from having taken maximum points in Nakuru, Thika and twice in Mumias.
The TV cameras have also been
following them and of the ten matches played so far, seven have been live with
this weekend seeing the possibility of Bernard Otieno screaming, “BARRRAAAAAZAAAA!!!”
as the eighth out of eleven matches are shown. The Chairman of the Sofa Set
Branch must be wishing he could send a bottle of wine or a quiche or something
to Gary Rathbone.
Tusker FC of course, is a
difficult customer and of all the teams in the league, none has a better record
against Leopards than the Brewers. In fact, Leopards haven’t beaten them in
twelve consecutive league matches.
When Tusker FC was conceived, it
left a bad taste in the mouth of Leopards fans of old, as they poached players
from Leopards. There was a feeling that they got favoured by the corporate
connection they had with Kenneth Matiba, then CEO of the Brewers getting
involved in football matters. Leopards would in fact be having a 13th
title if Tusker hadn’t insisted that Leopards play the most important fixture
of 1972 even with their dependable players away.
The league which was played
with a semi final and final format saw Leopards lose 1-0 to Tusker on 29th
November 1972 in circumstances that triggered the displeasure of the Leopards
so much that two years later, they boycotted the entire League!
But that was then. The here and
now sees Tusker walking into this fixture in a town renowned for its tusks on
the back of a disappointing 2-2 draw with this season’s strugglers Mat U.
Leopards on the other hand are scoring for fun having an average of 2.00 goals
per game and their own ‘Pichichi’ competition featuring Victor Ochieng, Allan
Wanga and Mike Baraza at the top with four goals each whilst Jonas Nahimana and
Jimmy Bageya breath down on them with three. Bageya also tops the assists
charts.
If Leopards beat Tusker, they
would have not only conquered all from every clime and coast, but they will
head to Naivasha the following weekend knowing that the chant “Sisi AFC, nifwe Ingwe, tunafagia timu zote
tunapata!” finally has a true ring to it.
The only people who could stop
them this weekend are the likes of Joseph Shikokoti who has been rock solid and
… tall but Victor Ochieng showed last weekend that height is nothing but some
digits and a comma. Paul Were is always a moment away from winning a penalty with
his pace but Patrick Matasi has saved a couple this season with his vision.
Leopards have a great chance to
repeat what their predecessors did last in 1998 and in football as in life,
nothing stays forever. After all, as they say in the casinos at the coast - you never know! Catch the action from the
stands at Mbaraki or from the comfort of your couch or from bugging those in
either places. It is the biggest clash of the weekend and you just don’t wanna
miss it!
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