First half goals from Kepha Aswani and John Avire saw Sofapaka hit Western Stima 2-0 at the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos to move to 56 points in the standings with five rounds of matches left this season.

Aswani broke the deadlock with a beautiful curling effort inside the box, taking a first time shot after Avire had won the ball on the left and cut back a cross for his strike partner to finish.

Before that, Sofapak had an early chance when Mike Oduor, starting ahead of the injured Umaru Kasumba cut in from the left but his shot was always rising and went wide.

Sofapaka then made it 2-0 after 28 minutes when Avire looped in a header past the keeper after he beat him to meet a George Maelo deep cross from the right.

On the other end, Stima had a chance when Henry Onyango ran on the blind side of Maelo and curled in a shot, but it went wide with Justin Ndikumana covering his area well.

In the second half, the team kept on the hunt with coach John Baraza making two changes, Ibrahim Kajuba coming on for Brian Magonya while Dennis Odhiambo came in for Mohammed Kilume.

Odhiambo made his presence felt almost immediately when he rifled through a shot from distance but keeper Samuel Odhiambo on the other end gathered well. Kajuba also had a chance later on but his effort from the left flew wide.

Towards the end, a beautiful team move saw Kajuba put Aswani through with the striker sending Avire on his way with a blinder of a pass through on goal but his shot went inches wide off target. The visitors were reduced to 10 men later on, but Sofapaka still maintained their shape to take maximum points.

Our round 29 lineup, is as follows, as we play Western Stima fc at Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos on Wednesday 8th 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
Mohammed Kilume .04
Faina Jacobs .06
George Maelo .08 (C)
Mike Oduor .11
Moussa Omar .15
Elli Asieche .16
Titus Achesa .20
Brian Magonya .26
John Avire .40
Kepha Aswani .50

SUBSTITUTES

Isaiah Wakasala .39
Willis Obayi .03
Dennis Omino .14
Tevin Omutere .19
Stephen Waruru .22
Ibrahim Kajuba .25
Cliff Kasuti .33

Defender George Maelo has urged his mates to dig in deep and give a final push as the team Wade’s into the home stretch of the 2018/2019 season.
 
The defender believes the team still has a realistic chance of fighting for the crown and has added on that with some concerted effort in the final six games, the team can upset the balances 

“I believe we still have a chance. I believe it is not over until it’s over. We need to dig in as a team, give our best and ensure we get every point along the way,” Maelo commented.

On last weekend’s heartbreaking result against Tusker Maelo said;

“It was a cruel way to drop points, but we need to move on from that disappointment. It is behind us and the focus should be on the game against Western Stima,”

This is our round 28 lineup as we play Tusker fc at Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos on Sunday 5th 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
Mohammed Kilume .04
Faina Jacobs .06
George Maelo .08 (C)
Umaru Kasumba .13
Moussa Omar .15
Elli Asieche .16
Titus Achesa .20
Brian Magonya .26
John Avire .40
Kepha Aswani .50

SUBSTITUTES

Isaiah Wakasala .39
Willis Obayi .03
Micheal Oduor .11
Dennis Omino .14
Tevin Omutere .19
Stephen Waruru .22
Ibrahim Kajuba .25

With seven games before the season ends, Sofapaka’s Ugandan forward Umaru Kasumba says he wishes to score five more goals to attain his target of 20 as he looks on for his best ever top flight scoring season.

Kasumba has so far scored 15 and sits joint top on the goal scorer’s chart, but his aim is to pull clear. The goal scoring Machine has already surpassed his tally for last season where he scored 10 times. Since arriving in 2017 June, Kasumba has always scored double figure goals having hit 13 in his first season.

“I think I am really happy with how I have progressed this season. Bearing in mind I didn’t start the first five games due to injury I think I have done well. My target this season from the start was 20 goals and I believe I will get that target,” he said.

“Secondly, I also want to win the Golden Boot and I will work hard to win it,”

“At Sofapaka this season as well I will try my best to help the club win a trophy. We had a chance in the Shield but things didn’t work out well for us. Now we have the league though the run in is tough but we will give our all and see what comes at the end of the season,” he said.

Kasumba is also hopeful that he can earn a call up to the Uganda Cranes national team ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations in June. Though he has played for the Under-23 team, Kasumba is yet to play for the senior team and he believes he is in good shape to earn a call up.

“I am ready and I think if given a chance, I will prove what I can do. I have proved it on the pitch this season and I have seven more games to prove more. Every player wants to represent his country and it is my personal dream to play for the Cranes,” he stated.

Kasumba was called up to the team that played in the African nations Championship (CHAN) in South Africa in 2014, but did not make the final squad. Before joining Sofapaka, he played for Uganda Police where he was the season’s second best scorer with 15 goals, losing out to Robert Ssentongo by only one goal.

He then moved to Sports Club Villa for half a season where he scored six goals before moving to Sofapaka in the middle of 2017.

Sofapaka moved to within six points of leaders Gor Mahia FC with a 3-2 win over Posta Rangers at the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos. Felix Oluoch and Francis Nambute scored for Posta Rangers, but John Avire, Umaru Kasumba and George Maelo’s goals had already given Batoto ba Mungu a hearty advantage.

Sofapaka dominated proceedings in the first half and created numerous scoring opportunities. Posta posted the earliest opportunity at goal, Oluoch finding a cross inside the box unmarked but luckily headed wide.

Sofapaka grew into the game and in the 18^th minute Kasumba connected to a cross from Brian Magonya, but it didn’t have enough sting to worry Posta keeper Eliud Emase. Two minutes later, Sofapaka created an even better chance when Kasumba picked out Ibrahim Kajuba with a decent cut-back but the midfielder’s effort was saved by the keeper.

But in the 27^th minute, the deadlock was broken when Avire’s shot found its way past a packed defense after picking up a rebound from Maelo’s shot. The striker had scored just a minute after Emase had denied him with a one on one save.

Ten minutes after going ahead, Sofapaka had another opportunity when Titus Achesa wheeled his way into good shooting position from the left, but his right foot shot was wide.

Five minutes to the break, Posta were on the break with Oluoch again causing the danger, this time racing away on the left but his eventual shot came against the bar.

Sofapaka needed just three minutes in the second half to seal the game. On a counter, Kasumba broke the offside trap to round the keeper and tap home his 15^th goal of the season. Two minutes later, Maelo scored the third when his dipping effort from range caught the keeper napping.

Posta though caused some scare with a fight back, Oluoch scoring one back in the 53^rd minute after picking the ball unmarked from a defensive mishap. In the 71^st minute, Nambute scored the second for Rangers when he pounced on a spill from Justin Ndikumana whose attempt at collecting a shot from John Nairuka wasn’t successful.

Despite some late pressure, Sofapaka managed to hold on to  till the end of the game.

This is our round 27 lineup as we play Posta Rangers fc at Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos on Wednesday 1st May2019 for the Sportpesa Premier League Championship as presented by our Head Coach John Baraza and the technical bench

Starting eleven include:

Justin Ndikumana .01
Mohammed Kilume .04
Faina Jacobs .06
George Maelo .08
Umaru Kasumba .13
Moussa Omar .15
Elli Asieche .16
Titus Achesa .20
Ibrahim Kajuba .25
Brian Magonya .26
John Avire .40

SUBSTITUTES

Isaiah Wakasala .39
Willis Obayi .03
Cornelius Juma .07
Dennis Omino .14
Tevin Omutere .19
Stephen Waruru .22
Kepha Aswani .50

This is how round 26 lineup as we play Mathare united fc at Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos on Sunday 28th April 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
Willis Obayi .03
Faina Jacobs .06
Micheal Oduor .11
Umaru Kasumba .13
Dennis Omino .14
Moussa Omar .15
Elli Asieche .16
Titus Achesa .20
Brian Magonya .26
John Avire .40

SUBSTITUTES

Isaiah Wakasala .39
Mohammed Kilume .04
Cornelius Juma .07
George Maelo .08
Pistone Mutamba .09
Stephen Waruru .22
Ibrahim Kajuba .25

Sofapaka and Mathare United clash at the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos on Sunday afternoon looking to complete the third home and away swoop since the first meeting in 2009. The last time Sofapaka beat the Slum Boys home and away was in 2014 when they won 2-1 in the first leg and 1-0 in the corresponding tie.

This season, Sofapaka were in imperious form against Mathare, hitting them 4-1 at the Kasarani Stadium with a brace from Umaru Kasumba and one each from Titus Achesa and Elli Asieche.

Overall, Sofapaka carry the advantage over Mathare having won 11 of the 21 meetings they have had since 2009, losing four and drawing six.

This will be a confidence boost for Batoto ba Mungu who are also looking to chase for this season’s Kenyan Premier League crown. Sofapaka are second in the standings with 48 points, four behind leaders Gor Mahia.

A win will bridge that gap and keep the chase alive towards a second ever league crown.

Sofapaka come into the tie with a good record in the past five games, winning three and drawing two while fifth placed Mathare have won only once, losing two and drawing a similar number.

Sofapaka forward John Avire says his teammates are motivated to fight for the Kenyan premier League title till the end of the season and will not relent on the fight despite the gap with first placed Gor Mahia.

Avire believes the team still has a good chance to vie for the first title since 2009.

“There is still a very good opportunity because the gap is not that bid. We believe that we can do it and we will fight to the end. At this moment each and every one of the nine games that remain are important to us and our target is to pick three points,” the forward noted.

He added; “It is a tough fight but we have the belief.”

Avire who has scored five goals this season is looking forward for another four-star performance when the team plays against Mathare United as well as breaking his own goal drought that stretches back to march 13 when he netted the only goal in a 1-0 win against AFC Leopards in Kakamega.

“Well it has been a long time and I would wish to get back into scoring form. But the most important thing for me is the team performance. It will be tough against Mathare but as a team we are prepared to win,”

“We have trained very well this week and the morale is up there. Everyone is focused to get those three points because we know just how much it is important to us,” stated Avire.