Former champions Butali Sugar Warriors will have to dig deeper if they are to challenge for the title after blowing their chance to close in on leaders Kenya Police over the weekend.
Butali, the 2015 champions, were held to a 1-1 draw by Parklands Sports Club at the City Park, a result that left them second on 30 points from 13 matches, seven points behind the law enforcers.
Allan Odongo scored for Parklands in the seventh minute before Derrick Kuloba leveled the score for Butali in the 21st minute through a field goal. GreenSharks complete the top three positions with 30 points but they have played one more match than theirs opponents.
With one match remaining to end of first leg, Butali, coached by Godfrey Wakachunga have continued to blow hot and cold and their current form doesn’t reflect the star-studded status.
The star players in the team include Frank Wanagwe, Barnabas Odhiambo, Derrick Kuloba, Emmanuel Simiyu, Constant Wakhura, Brian Musasia, Pius Ratori Maxwell Fuchuka and Lawrence Okubasu.
Butali captain Kenneth Nyongesa insisted all is not lost.
“On paper it is looking as if it for Police to lose but we are not giving up just yet. We have one match to end of first leg and we really want to end it on a high,” noted Nyongesa. “Then we go back to the drawing board see what we can do ahead of the second leg. There are still more matches and anything can happen and therefore we are still in the run to see to it that we reclaim the title.”
In the women’s league, title holders Telkom Orange extended lead on the table standing to 30 points in an unbeaten run thanks to a 9-0 win over Kenyatta University to wrap the first leg in style.
United States International University Africa (USIU-A) remain second with 25 points having won against University of Nairobi 6-0. Strathmore University are pegged third with 23 points.