Sofapaka would like to confirm the signing of Ugandan international keeper, Ismail Abdul Watenga from Ethiopian Coffee SC. The goalkeeper has already arrived in the country and penned a contract just before the closure of the transfer window on Monday night.

“We welcome Ismail to the club. He is a very good and experienced goalkeeper and will be a great addition to the team. We have followed his performances both with the Ugandan national team and his club in Ethiopia and we are convinced he will help the club move to the next level,” Sofapaka Team Manager Hillary Echesa said.

He added; “He will bring in a healthy competition in the goalkeeping department and this in the long run will help improve the team. We are already pleased with his desire and hunger.”

The signing of Watenga comes in after the deal to bring on board Togolese international keeper Djehani N’Guissan Yao fell through in the late stages due to a contractual obstacle with his club ASC Kara.

Watenga who has vast experience playing for the Uganda Cranes, will join the team in training immediately and will be in line to make his debut when the league resumes on September 14.

Our opening lineup for KPL 2019-2020 is as follows when we host Posta Rangers fc at Naroki Stadium, on Friday 30th August 2019 for the Sportpesa Premier League Championship as presented by our Head Coach Divaldo Alves and the technical bench

Starting eleven include:

Isaiah Wakasala .30
Willis Obayi .03
Faina Jacobs .06
Allan Katwe .33
Sammy Imbuye .25
Elli Asieche .16
Titus Achesa .20
Peter Lwasa .11
Muhammed Kasirye .27 
Philip Muchuma .09
Timonah Wanyonyi .07

SUBSTITUTES
Richard Aimo .32
Mohammed Kilume .04
Cersidy Okeyo .10
Brian Nyakan .14
Samuel Mutiria  .17
Ibrahim Kitawi .28
Kepha Aswani .50

Head coach Divaldo Alves says he is under no pressure ahead of his first match in the Kenyan Premier League against Posta Rangers on Friday in Narok. Coach Alves joined the team three weeks ago and says he feels the team is ready to start the new campaign on a high.

“My expectation for the first game of the season is three points. We have some information about Posta and we know that they have a coach who loves to play a defensive style and we will work on a strategy to open them up,” coach Alves said.

“I am under no pressure really. Of course in football whether you are top or bottom there is always pressure but for me, I have a lot of experience and I know that this is the first match and we should be calm and composed for it,” he noted.

On how the team has shaped up since his arrival, coach Alves says he is happy with the progress, but also states he hopes to improve the team further.

“The players have very high commitment and I am impressed with what I have seen. I love their ability, their skills and technique on the ball. Now we need to polish them like a rough diamond to be more of a beauty. We can improve a lot,” he noted.

Sofapaka on Thursday afternoon unveiled 11 new players that will join the squad for the 2019/20 season at the Eastleigh High School Training Ground. The players were formally introduced by president Elly Kalekwa while new partners Living 3D were also introduced.

“We want to welcome the new players into the team and hopefully they will be of great addition to our strong squad. We are a family above all and I believe the players and the new coach as well will feel comfortable here,”

“We have ambitions and we will work towards that ambition with the group of players we have,” Kalekwa said as he unveiled them to the press.

The newest addition to the squad was keeper Djehani Yao who has been signed from Togolese champions ASCK FC. Yao arrived in the country on Thursday morning.

The rest of the 10 players have been around and had already trained with the rest of the squad. Yao will join a foreign legion that has four Ugandans; Mohammed Kasirye from Paidha Black Angels, Allan Katwe from Nkumba University, striker Peter Lwasa from URA FC and defender Musa Malunda from Bul FC.

The others signed in are; striker Philip Muchuma (Chemelil), Brian Nyakan, Timonah Wanyonyi (Mount kenya (United), Juma Sudi (Sofapaka Youth), Derick Wafula (City Stars) and Cersidy Okeyo (Gor Mahia).

Sofapaka new signing Peter Lwasa hopes he can emulate his countryman Umaru Kasumba’s form at the club as he prepares to start life in kenya following his move from Uganda Revenue Authority (URA). The 21-year old believes he can fill the boots left by Kasumba who left for Zambia after four seasons with Batoto ba Mungu.

“I feel happy to join this club and knowing the exploits that Kasumba had in this team, I am motivated to follow in his footsteps. I know it is always not easy to fill the boots of someone who came and imprinted himself as a club legend here, but I will do my best,” Lwasa said.

He added; “I have spoken to him a bit on what to expect here and I can say I am prepared. So far so good because we have been received well and the training has been good. We have interacted with the new teammates quite well and now, we are looking forward to the job.”

The forward says he will challenge himself to score double digit goals just like Kasumba, but is well aware that the Kenyan league is tough.

“This is a very tough place compared to Uganda. I have followed some games here and I know I am in for a very tough challenge. I am ready for it. I want to score and help the team,” he added.

Sofapaka will begin the 2019/2020 Kenyan Premier League campaign at home against Posta Rangers on Friday at the Narok County Stadium. Batoto ba Mungu will look to have a better start to the season compared to last term and the team is already geared for the tie with three points the minimum target.

“The team has prepared really well and I know that we will start positively. The spirit and the motivation is there and we have learnt from last season where a poor start possibly cost us the title. We are ready for the season,” skipper George Maelo stated.

This will be the 14^th meeting between these two sides and Sofapaka enjoys a slim advantage over the mailmen, having won half of the games while Posta have won five with two ending in draws. In Seven home games, Sofapaka has won three, drawn two and lost the other two.

In terms of goals, Sofapaka has scored 18 times against Posta in the 14 meetings and conceded 14. Last season, Sofapaka beat Posta home and away, winning 0-1 away and 3-2 at home.

This will be coach Divaldo Alves’ first game in charge of the team and he has a full squad to choose his best 18 from. Mohammed Kilume and Telvin Omutere who were both nursing knocks have been passed fit and are available for selection.

Newly appointed Sofapaka head coach, Angolan Divaldo Alves has vowed to return the big boy tag to the club after he was officially unveiled yesterday.
Alves who has been with the team for two weeks now, was unveiled to the media alongside 11 other players, at the Eastleigh High School on the eve of the 2019/2020 Kenyan Premier League, where they kick-off their title campaign against Posta Rangers at the Narok Stadium on
Friday.
“This is one great family and I’m very excited to be part of it. We have very good players in all positions and if we are able to gel fast, we are definitely a force to reckon with this season,” said
Alves.
He added: “I want us to play continental football next year. We will be going for every available accolade this season, definitely our priority is to win the league title after ten years drought, but we also want to win everything.”
Sofapaka president Elly Kalekwa said the coach was identified by their partners Living 3D, a Singapore based company, who will be paying his salary and also market the team players in major Asia and European leagues.
Sofapaka who began last season on a wrong foot, going for seven matches without a win, that saw them finish the campaign in the fifth position, hope to start the new season with a bang.
Their key signing is goalkeeper Djehani N’guissan Yao who is the first choice custodian for Togo’s national team. He joins the 2009 from Togo league giants ASCK.
Other players unveiled yesterday include international and former Gor Mahia player Timonah Wanyonyi, highly rated former Gor Mahia midfielder Cersidy Lumumba and bullish striker Wanjala Muchuma who joins from Chemelil Sugar.

Sofapaka players in:
Allan Katwe      (Midfielder, Bazaar FC-Uganda)
Brian Nyakan    (Striker, Mount Kenya)
Cersidy Okeyo Lumumba (Midfielder, Gor Mahia)
Derrick Wafula Kaunda (Defender, City Stars)
Djehani N’guissan Yao (Goalkeeper, ASCK-Togo)
Timonah Wanyonyi  (Midfielder, Mount Kenya)
Juma Sudi Bechoni (Striker, Sofapaka Youth)
Malunda Musa (Defender, Bul FC-Uganda)
Muhammed Kasirye (Midfielder, Pider Black Eagle-Uganda)
Peter Lwasa (Striker, URA FC-Uganda)
Phillip Wanjala Muchuma (Striker, Chemelil)

Sofapaka will unveil new players for the 2019/2020 season on Thursday morning at a ceremony set to take place at our Eastleigh High School training ground at 9am. This will be a precursor for the new season with the team scheduled to kick off the campaign on Friday in Narok against Posta Rangers.

At the same time, the club will formally unveil the partnership with co-sponsors 3D Sports.

“We are excited for the new season and we know the measures and plans we have put in place as well as the kind of players we have brought on board will be a catalyst for success. Our target remains to go for the title,” club President Elly Kalekwa says.

New head coach Divaldo Alves will also be formally introduced to the press.

Sofapaka’s Ugandan striker Umaru Kasumba has been named the Sports Journalists Association of Kenya (SJAK) player of the month for February becoming only the second player ever to clinch two awards in the same season.

Kasumba won the coveted trophy in February for the first time before coach John Baraza and keeper Justin Ndikumana followed that up with a double award for coach and player in March.

Kasumba’s seven goals in April put him ahead of everyone else, beating AFC Leopards’ Whyvonne Isuza and two of the league’s top three scorers, leader Allan Wanga of Kakamega Homeboyz and third placed Enosh Ochieng of Ulinzi Stars.

In the final vote tally by the SJAK football committee, Kasumba managed 23 points ahead of Isuza who had 21 while Wanga and Ochieng had 16 and 10 points respectively.

“I knew you would come back and give me another award. I’m a believer so when I told you that I’ll win it again before the season ends it was out of my faith,” Kasumba said as he received his award at the team’s training base in Eastleigh.

“I am very happy and pleased to be getting this award because it is the product of teamwork and hard work on the pitch. My target now is to fight for the golden boot and I hope I can get it in the final two games of the season,” Kasumba stated.

Meanwhile, the striker has confirmed he will be heading to Europe for a series of trials after the season ends and he is hopeful of clinching a deal.

“I have faith that I will go there and work hard to earn a professional move abroad. But at the moment my concentration is on helping the team finish the season strongly and try to win the golden boot. There are several contacts that I have had from Germany but we will wait for a confirmation from my representatives,” Kasumba stated.

The striker has scored 17 goals this season and ranks as the second best scorer in the league after Allan Wanga who has 18.

Our lineup for SPL Round 32 is as follows when we play Chemelil fc at Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos on Wednesday 22nd May 2019 for the Sportpesa Premier League Championship as presented by our Head Coach John Baraza and the technical bench

Starting eleven include:

Justin Ndikumana .01
Faina Jacobs .06
George Maelo .08 (C)
Micheal Oduor .11
Umaru Kasumba .13
Moussa Omar .15
Elli Asieche .16
Titus Achesa .20
Brian Magonya .26 
John Avire .40
Kepha Aswani .50

SUBSTITUTES

Richard Aimo .32
Willis Obayi .03
Mohammed Kilume .04
Pistone Mutamba .09
Tevin Omutere .19
Stephen Waruru .22
Emmanuel Pala .24