All eyes will be on besieged AFC Leopards coach Tom ‘Gaza’ Juma, and his Kenya Police counterpart, Francis Baraza, when the two teams clash in the fourth round of the Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKF-PL) on Saturday.
Kenya Police host the 12-time Kenyan champions at the Police Sacco Stadium in South C, Nairobi, Saturday afternoon as the two coaches who are also former Kenyan internationals looking for their first win of the season.
Police are 16th in the 18-team standings with two points, while Leopards are 14th, also on two points. Leopards are yet to score a goal in the league.
Champions Gor Mahia also face a stern test in Western Kenya when they travel to Bukhungu Stadium on Sunday to face Kakamega Homeboyz.
League leaders Posta Rangers will face newbies Murang’a Seal at St Sebastian Park in Murang’a County on the same day.
Meanwhile, 13-time champions Tusker will look to bounce back from a 2-1 defeat to Kakamega Homeboyz last weekend when they host Muhoroni Youth at their Ruaraka Grounds backyard.
Shabana, who command a huge following in Kisii and Nyamira counties, will be at Raila Odinga Stadium in Homa Bay on Saturday, also eying their first win of the season since their return to the topflight league after 17 years in the cold.
All focus will be on the match between Leopards and Kenya Police because of the pressure both coaches find themselves under.
For Juma, the situation is worse despite Leopards’ management throwing their weight behind him through a statement on Wednesday. After a goalless draw against Muhoroni Youth last weekend, Juma was booed by angry Leopards fans who asked him to resign.
Fondly known as ‘Gaza’, Juma took over as coach of Leopards at the start of the season following the exit of Patrick Aussems.
This season, Leopards have not scored a single goal in more than 270 minutes of play. They drew 0-0 with FC Talanta on August 28 and lost 1-0 to KCB, and drew 0-0 with Muhoroni Youth last weekend.
Kenya Police narrowly survived last weekend after Clinton Kinanga scored in the last minute of the added time to cancel out Peter Ogechi’s goal for Shabana in Homa Bay.
Despite boasting big names, the law enforcers fired blanks in their opening game against Kariobangi Sharks before being thumped 3-0 by Posta Rangers.
Head to head record puts the game in AFC Leopards’ favour. The two teams have met four times since Kenya Police returned to the topflight league in 2020, and Leopards have won twice while other two matches have ended in draws.
All matches kick off at 3pm unless stated
Kenya Police v AFC Leopards (Police Sacco Stadium)
Bidco United v FC Talanta (Kasarani Annex, 1pm)
Tusker v Muhoroni Youth (Ruaraka Grounds)
Shabana v Kariobangi Sharks (Raila Odinga)
Murang’a Seal v Posta Rangers ( St Sebastian Park)
KCB v Bandari (Kasarani Annex)
Kakamega Homeboyz v Gor Mahia (Bukhungu)
Ulinzi Stars v Sofapaka (Ulinzi Sports Complex)
Nairobi City Stars v Nzoia Sugar (Kasarani Annex)
