The 2015/16 Kenya Cup league breaks for the Christmas and New Year holidays, but not before the match day fixtures ar played on Saturday 19 December 2015.
Three relatively intriguing fixtures make up the full retinue of matches on Saturday.
Defending champions KCB host last season’s runners-up Kabras Sugar at the Impala Club in a repeat of last season’s league final.
The Impala Club Redemption
Pundits could easily dub this clash “The Impala Club Redemption” as both sides are out to bounce back after poor match day four outings.
KCB were always second best in last weekend’s 25-27 loss to the Pan Africa Strathmore Leos, a result that saw them drop from first to third on the log while Kabras were subjected to their second loss of the season, going down 5-16 to former champions Top Fry Nakuru. Given their current predicaments, and the small matter of several former KCB players decamping to Kabras over the past two seasons, this match is bound to elicit emotion and potentially be an explosive one.
The Jamhuri Park Battle
Table toppers Pan Africa Strathmore Leos are one of two teams with an unblemished record four weeks into the new season. The students topped last week’s exam against KCB and once again put their credentials under the microscope when they host unpredictable Mwamba at the Jamhuri Park. A Strathmore bonus point win is very likely to see them close 2015 in pole position, but Mwamba will certainly have other ideas as they look to haul themselves out of their current 10th place on the log.
The Suguta Valley Duel
Nakuru’s Athletic Club is the venue of the third exciting clash of the weekend as hosts Top Fry Nakuru welcome a resurgent Resolution Impala Saracens in the battle of fourth against fifth. Both sides post identical records, each with three wins and one loss, the Sarries just sitting above the Wanyore by way of collecting more bonus points. That will account for little when the sides step out onto the “Suguta Valley” turf as the victorious side could potentially break into the top three at the close of business. It should be a competitive fixture.
Bulls Chase Their First Win
After narrow defeats in their four outings to date, Western Bulls have the opportunity to register their first win of the season when they welcome Mean Machine to The Bull Ring in Kakamega. Eschulusi have been plucky but unlucky and do know that they must win to claw back into the race for playoff contention. Machine registered their first win of the campaign when they beat Thika 34-5 on match day four.
Straightforward Fixtures
Second placed Kenya Harlequin are at home to Blak Blad in a potentially straightforward fixture. It is difficult to foresee Blad pose any sort of threat to Quins who are enjoying a blinder of a season thus far. Other matches pit bottom placed Kenya Sharks against seventh-placed Nondescripts while Menengai Cream Homeboyz have a relatively easy encounter against second from bottom Thika RFC.
This weekend’s fixtures
Menengai Cream Homeboyz v Thika – Jamhuri Park – 2.00pm – *Live on Zuku
Pan Africa Strathmore Leos v Mwamba – Jamhuri Park – 4.00pm – *Live on Zuku and K24
KCB v Kabras Sugar – Impala Club – 4.00pm
Top Fry Nakuru v Resolution Impala Saracens – Nakuru Athletic Club – 4.00pm
Western Bulls v Mean Machine – Kakamega High School – 4.00pm
Kenya Sharks v Nondescripts – Bungoma High School – 4.00pm
Kenya Harlequin v Blak Blad – RFUEA – 4.00pm