Murang'a Seal - Gor Mahia clash highlights FKFPL round 28 fixtures

Murang’a will come alive this afternoon as the St Sebastian Park hosts the eagerly anticipated clash between the league’s high-punching debutants Murang’a Seal and Kenyan football’s most decorated football club, the mighty Gor Mahia.

The clash, which is undeniably the highlight of the 2023/24 FKF Premier League Round 28 fixtures will be played will kick off at 3 pm.

Murang’a Seal, whose giant-killing exploits in their first season in the top flight have propelled them to 11^th on the league standings with 35 points, stand a chance to break into the top half of the league table with an earth-shaking victory over league leaders Gor Mahia who have 57 points and chasing a record 21^st league title.

If Murang’a Seal avoids defeat against their more illustrious opponents, they will become the third team this season after Kakamega Homeboyz and Kenya Police to avoid defeat against Gor Mahia over two legs.

Everyday, adults who soak bread in tea walk amongst us yet the government does nothing about it.

That aside, It's 𝙈𝘼𝙏𝘾𝙃𝘿𝘼𝙔!
⚽️ | Murang'a SEAL 🆚 Gor Mahia
🏆 | Kenyan Premier League
🏟️ | SportPesa Arena
⏲️ | 3PM#SportpesaDerby || #MSealNaSportPesa || #ComeOnYouSeals pic.twitter.com/mkZHRE763w

— Murang'a Seal (@murangaseal) May 4, 2024

Sandwiching Murang’a Seal on the league standings are 10^th placed KCB who have 35 points and 12^th placed Kariobangi Sharks who have 34 points. The latter clubs, who are set to clash in the FKF Cup semifinals later in the month, will warm up for that cup tie with their encounter in Round 28 at the Police Sacco Stadium on Saturday. The match will kick off at 3 pm. The last three matches between KCB and Kariobangi Sharks have ended 2-1 with the Bankers being on the losing end of that score line on two occasions.

Also playing at 3 pm this afternoon are Sofapaka and Shabana who will meet at the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos in a match hosted by Batoto Ba Mungu. The contest promises to be a brutal relegation survival fight with Sofapaka hoping to put behind recent woes and register a victory that will see them pull further away from the risk of being dragged into the relegation survival battle. The 2009 league winners are 15^th with 28 points and are only two points above Muhoroni Youth who occupy the play-off spot of 16^th place with 26 points.

On the other hand, Shabana, with 25 points in 17^th points, knows that victory will see them leapfrog Sofapaka on goal difference and whatever happens in the Muhoroni Youth vs Bidco United match, they will be out of 17^th place for at least one week.

The Muhoroni Youth-Bidco United game, which will also be played on Saturday, is a reflection of the impact the recent heavy rains and floods have had on the FKF Premier League schedule. The match, which will be played at the Muhoroni Stadium, will kick off at 1 pm to reduce chances of it being rained off. Muhoroni Youth will be looking for a victory that will take them out of 16^th place provided Sofapaka does not win against Shabana.

Bidco United, who are 9^th with 37 points, are already on the beach as they are more than assured of featuring in the FKF Premier League next season and their main objective is to finish higher than their current position.

Sunday fixtures 

Sunday action will also see four matches played. Nairobi City Stars will host Ulinzi Stars at 12 pm at the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos in a match that will curtain raise the Posta Rangers-Talanta match which will kick off at the same venue at 3 pm.

Nairobi City Stars, lying 5^th with 45 points, have a chance to improve on their league position with victory over the Soldiers provided the trio of Kenya Police (2^ndwith 48 points), Tusker (3^rd with 46 points), and Bandari (4^th with 45 points) all lose over the weekend. Ulinzi Stars, albeit currently safe from being dragged into the relegation battle, will be desperate for a victory that will increase their points tally to 33 even though it will still keep them at position 13.

Posta Rangers will also be desperate for redemption having endured a miserable two months in March and April that saw them lose in all five league matches they played in that period. Talanta, who are known for their inconsistency, could be easy picking for the Mailmen to turn around a corner and register their first points in six league matches. Talanta are also threatened with the possibility of being dragged into a relegation survival battle depending on how Sofapaka, Muhoroni Youth, and Shabana perform in the remaining matchdays. Talanta are 14^th with 30 points.

Sunday will also see the debut of FKF Premier League matches at Dandora Stadium where 12-time league champions AFC Leopards will host Bandari in a 3 pm kick off. The match promises to be a low-scoring encounter with neither team scoring nor conceding more than one goal in their last four league games. Both teams will also be looking to start May on a high having slumped in April after impressing in March. Ingwe, 8^th with 39 points, had mixed results last month as they collected four points from three matches while Bandari managed only two points from three games.

The other match of the day will be a 1 pm kick-off between Kakamega Homeboyz and Kenya Police at the Mumias Sports Complex. Kakamega Homeboyz cannot rise beyond 6^th which they currently occupy but will be aiming for a win that will keep them ahead of Posta Rangers and AFC Leopards who trail them by one point and two points respectively. Kenya Police, unbeaten in 2024, will hope to grab a victory that will see them remain second as they keep the pressure on run-away league leaders Gor Mahia. The law enforcers have 48 points.

Monday action

Round 28 action will stretch to Monday as Tusker hosts basement club Nzoia Sugar in a 3 pm kick off at the Dandora Stadium.