Sofapaka team that will face Western Stima fc at the Narok Stadium on 22th July 2018 for the FKF Shield Cup tournament. Starting eleven include:

Kigonya Mathias (01)
Odhiambo Dennis (02)
Moussa Omar (15)
Obayi Willis (03)
Aloro Rodgers (17)
Brian Maginya (26)
Elly Asieche (16)
Mico Justin (10)
Kimani Kevin (33)
Aswani Kepha (50)
Waruru Stephen (22)

SUBSTITUTES

Juma Reuben (29)
Mohamed Yusuf (07)
Pistone Mutamba (09)
Samuel Mutiria (19)
Okare Ezekiel (18)
Oduor Micheal (11)
Osok Teddy (06)

Sofapaka President Elly Kalekwa has urged the team to keep working hard in the ongoing 2018 SportPesa Premier League to earn a place to represent the country in continental assignments.
 
Kalekwa observed that dethroning Gor Mahia as champions was not too much to ask for Batoto Ba Mungu, adding that this can only achieved through dedication and hard work by the players.
 
“In as much as the league is competitive, nothing is impossible and I call on Sofapaka to try to be among the teams that will standup to be counted among Kenya’s emissaries in the continental events next
year,” said Kalekwa.
 
In the meantime, Kalekwa has downplayed the prospects of Sofapaka playing in the CECAFA/Kagame Cup next year in the wake of the two year ban slapped on Gor Mahia after they snubbed bronze medal award ceremony in Dar-es-Salaam last week.
 
Sofapaka are currently placed second in the SPL behind cup holders Gor, who have four matches at hand, and are likely to be Kenyan representatives in the next CECAFA Cup.
 
But Kalekwa said it’s premature to entertain such ideologies since the SPL has not ended. “It may happen but the league has not ended and as I said earlier, hard work is key if such dream is to come into reality,” he said.

Sofapaka Youth coach Edward Mnandi has lauded the performance of the team after they beat Salem FC 3-1 at the weekend, to move to the top of the 20-team, Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Nairobi County League.
Sofapaka now have 26 points from 11 matches played and enjoy a better goal difference to second placed Uprising FC who have the same number of points from 11 matches, but with an inferior goal difference.
Third on the table is Uefa Ummoiner on 20 points from 11 matches, then Jericho All Stars are fourth on 18 points from 10 matches and Tena United are fifth on 16 points from nine matches.
“I am happy with the current spirit in the team and their general performance that has seen us move to the top of the table,” said Mnandi.
He added: “Our comprehensive win against Salem FC confirmed that we are unstoppable in our quest to win the title as we dominated the entire fixture and could have even won by a bigger margin.”
Mnandi urged the team’s management to equip the side with boots and training kits to enable them finish the remaining matches in the league on a high.
“If we can only get boots and training kits, which have been our main challenge, then I can assure the team’s management that we will comfortably win our remaining five league matches and be promoted to the Regional league next season,” he said.

Sofapaka team that will face Sony Sugar fc at the Green Stadium, Awendo on 15th July 2018 for the round two games. Starting eleven include:

Kasaya Wycliff (40)
Maelo George (08)
Yusuf Mohamed (07)
Obayi Willis (03)
Okoti Humphrey (23)
Odhiambo Dennis (02)
Stephen Waruru (22)
Asieche Elly (16)
Osok Teddy (06)
Aswani Kepha (50)
Mutamba Pistone (09)

SUBSTITUTES

Kigonya Mathias (01)
Aloro Rodgers (17)
Mico Justin (10)
Samuel Mutiria (19)
Okare Ezekiel (18)
Imbuye Sammy (24)
Mang’oli Bernard (20)

Sofapaka coach John Baraza is keen to break the duck against a stubborn Sony Sugar side as they clash in a crucial Kenyan Premier League match at Awendo Green Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The sugar millers have been have always been a hard nut to crack for Sofapaka, enjoying a better head to head record in their last three meetings, but Baraza believes this time they stand no chance.

“We are in high spirits and treating every match as a final at the moment. Sony has always been a tough side for us, but this time we are going for nothing less than a win,” Baraza said.

The 2009 champions will be without the services of midfielder Mohammed Kalume who suffered a knock during the team’s final training yesterday, is the only doubt for the match.

“Only Kilume is a doubt for the match, otherwise we are a full house. Ibrahim Kitawi is back and new signing Mico Justin will be available for selection,” said Baraza.

Sofapaka who are second on the league table, will be keen to further close the gap on leaders Gor Mahia as they currently trail them by nine points, but a win in Awendo will reduce the gap to six points.

Sony on the other hand are fighting relegation as they are placed 16th in a league of 18 teams.

Sofapaka’s new signing Mico Justin believes he is now ready to officially kick-off his career for the 2009 league champions as they travel to Awendo to face rivals Sony Sugar in a crucial league match on Sunday.
Mico who arrived at Sofapaka last week in a three-year deal from Rwanda champions Police, played 45 minutes in a friendly match against Algerian champions USM Algiers on Wednesday where he was outstanding as the hosts won 2-1, and is now raring to go.
” I received a warm welcome and I feel at home. Sofapaka is a big team and I love to be part of the family, I even watched them play Kagame Cup in Kigali in 2010 when I was still a kid and they impressed me as they finished third in the competition,” said Mico.
He added: ” I’m currently in good form and ready for the challenge ahead. My preferred position is Number 10 as a supporting striker, but I can play at any midfield position.”
Mico who was at Police FC for two years, scored 22 goals in two seasons. Before joining Police he had played for AS Kigali.

Baraza has emphasized to his players that Gor Mahia may slump at some point thus this will work on their favor.

 “This is football and anything can happen. As a coach you must be happy and ready with your players but it will be wrong if your players rest on their laurels”, added Baraza.

“We have continuously won matches and the league is far from over and i have told my players nothing is impossible as we have some matches to go if we can maintain our winning ways then Gor Mahia can also slip and give us an opportunity to capture the glory” he added Current defending champions of Kenyan premier League Gor Mahia are still at the top of Sportpesa sponsored log table with three matches in hand.

Gor Mahia are leading the table with 49 Points, nine ahead of Sofapaka while coastal side Bandari are in third position.

After the end of the June transfer window, Sofapaka injected new blood into the team, by signing in the likes of Wycliffe Kasaya and Pistone Mutamba and Sofapaka’s coach John Baraza will help them achieve much more in the remaining stanza of the league.

Batoto ba mungu have won the last three and are hopeful to maintain the same upward trajectory in the remaining matches.

Pistone Mutamba scored an impressive goal to give Sofapaka a win against USM Alger in a friendly match at the Camp Toyoyo grounds.  He has remained in top form for the past three matches and a dangerous target to the opposing teams.

Less than half an hour onto the game, he scored the goal giving Sofapaka a morale booster.

USM Algier playerd Gor Mahia to a barren draw at the beginning of the year and this win against them keeps alive the hopes of Sofapaka clinching this year’s KPL Cup.

A largely balanced affair had USM dominating some spell after going a goal down but being undone by a number of wayward shots at Sofapaka goal.

Algiers, is pooled in same CAF Cup group with Kenyan Champions, Gor, Yanga and Rayon Sports, whom they next play in a weeks’ time.

Sofapaka’s influential defender Omar Moussa has been suspended for their crucial league match against rivals Sony Sugar, slated for Awendo Green Stadium on Sunday.
The Burundi international who joined the 2009 champions at the beginning of the season has been suspended because of accumulation of five yellow card matches but will be available for selection in the
team’s next fixture which will be against Tusker FC on July 29 at the Ruaraka Grounds.
In the absence of Moussa who is normally deployed in central defense, coach John Baraza is likely to select his replacements from Rodgers Aloro, Humphrey Okoti, Willis Ouma and Dennis Odhiambo.
Sony has always been a hard nut to crack for Sofapaka, but with the current fine run ‘Batoto Ba Mungu’ has been enjoying, the sugar millers may not be able to slow their charge as they seek to catch up with leaders Gor at the top.
Second placed Sofapaka has won four matches and lost one in their last five league outings while 16th placed Sony Sugar has won two matches out of five.

Sofapaka head coach John Baraza says that, the win against Mathare United on Sunday 8th July, was expected.

Mathare United was thrashed 3-2 by Sofapaka, thereby gaining 3points, maintain their second postion on the KPL log and narrowing the gap with the leading Gor Mahia.

Kepha Aswani, Eli Asieche and Pistone Mutamba each scored a single goal and helped Batoto Ba Mungu put the Slum Boys to position five. Mathare got consolation goals from Francis Omondi and Alphonse Ndonye.

Speaking after the match, Baraza said his side had prepared well for the game and that he expected to win the game.

“We knew that they were a strong team, had topped the KPL log for a while, we prepared well for this game and I was confident we were going to win. My boys played according to instructions and in the end we got an important win, our focus now shifts to the match against SoNy Sugar,” he said.

Sofapaka next takes on Sony Sugar in Awendo this coming weekend.