John Baraza has been elevated to the position of Sofapaka head coach after the resignation of American coach Melis Medo on Tuesday. The announcement has been made today by club president Elly Kalekwa who said the club had accepted the resignation of the tactician after a dismal start to the season. Sofapaka president Elly Kalekwa has said;

“The coach expressed his desire from the position and as a club, we have accepted his resignation. When someone resigns, most likely they have seen something they think they will not change and that’s why we have accepted his resignation and wish him all the best in his next endevour.”

“John Baraza will take charge of the team on interim basis, pending a decision on whether or not we will appoint a new coach. We will make that announcement when the time is right,” Mr, Kalekwa has said.

The president has also confirmed that assistant coach Benson Omukuba who arrived with Medo from Mount Kenya United will also leave the team.

He added; “We urge our fans to remain calm, the team is still intact. We know that we started badly, but maybe it is because of bad luck. I know and I am confident that we will bounce back and the team will be back to its best.”

Sofapaka team that will face Vihiga United fc at Bukhungu Stadium, Kakamega on Sunday 13th January 2019 for the Sportpesa Premier League Championship.

Starting eleven include:

Justin Ndikumana .01
Brian Magonya .26
Elli Asieche .16 (C)
Titus Achesa .20
Moussa Omar .15
Stephen Waruru .22
Soter Kayumba .24
Umaru Kasumba .13
Micheal Oduor .11
Kepha Aswani .50
Dennis Omino .07

SUBSTITUTES

Richard Aimo .32
Mohammed Kilume .04
Tom Adwar .19
Ibrahim Kitawi .28
Cliff Kasuti .33
Cornelius Juma .07
John Avire .40

Dennis Odhiambo says the team needs to make a response to ensure the difference with the top does not increase. The utility players says the boys will be going for maximum points against Vihiga in Kakamega on Sunday and believes the motivation to get maximum points will fuel them.

“Getting three points this weekend will be key because teams have now started taking shape in the table and we need to respond. We need to bounce back from last weekend’s disappointment in Machakos,” Odhiambo noted.

The midfielder says the team has been unlucky with results especially the draws, but believes the turn of good luck will come with three points against Vihiga.

“If you look at all the games we have played, we have scored at least two goals but we have ended up conceding cheaply because of lapse in concentration. We need to score more and I am confident we can do it because we have strikers who can do so,” further stated Odhiambo.

He adds that a win against Vihiga will mark a turn-around for the team and has called on his teammates to do their best and get the vital three points.

Midfielder Elli Asieche has rallied his teammates to bring their A-game and pick three important points in Kakamega on Sunday evening against Vihiga United. The midfielder who has been influential over the last few games has branded the game a must win, saying the boys need to pick up a morale boosting result.

“It has been long since we won and we are going for a win and nothing less. We have that motivation that we need to get the three points by all hard work and we know if we do that we will get the motivation of everyone back,” the midfielder stated.

On the last six games of the season;

“We really didn’t have much going wrong for us. The momentum was yet to gather and we are now better and hopefully we can start the turnaround with this game. The team unity is is coming slowly and now we are better,” he noted. https://skrivanek.lt/vertimu-sritys/finansai-ir-bankininkyste/ finansiniai vertimai

Asieche believes that if the team employs the tactics perfected in training this week, they will pick maximum points and get the groove back into the team.

Goals from Cliff Kasuti, Umaru Kassumba and Stephen Waruru saw Sofapaka beat Kenya Police 3-1 in a friendly match at the Ruiru Stadium on Wednesday morning to warm up perfectly for this weekend’s trip away to Vihiga United in Kakamega.

Kasuti broke the deadlock just 10 minutes into the game when he swept in  a well-timed cross from Piston Mutamba, a lead that Sofapaka took to the break.

In the second half, Batoto ba Mungu continued in their dominance and would go two up when Kasumba finished off a cross from Waruru.

John Avire started the constructive move, picking up the ball in midfield to race into the area and release Waruru who did the most by slicing a cross that Kasumba finished.

Waruru got on the scoresheet himself with a neat finish before former player George Maelo pulled one back for Police.

Head coach Melis Medo was using the game to test his systems for this weekend’s game at Vihiga and says he was pleased with how the boys fared.

“We have prepared well and we have a plan and we will stick to it. This game helped us to look at our plans and execute and I am happy with how we did,” the coach said.

“We have worked on correcting our mistakes, the morale is high and the players are progressing the ball well, they are working as a team and are hungry more than ever before,” the tactician stated.

The team will have its penultimate training session in Nairobi on Thursday morning and are scheduled to depart for Western Kenya early Saturday morning.

Sofapaka president Elly Kalekwa visited the team in training on Tuesday morning looking to motivate them ahead of this weekend’s clash against Vihiga United at the Bukhungu Stadium in Kakamega.

Kalekwa who watched last weekend’s defeat against Tusker FC encouraged the players to keep on working hard and says he has faith they will turn results around.

“I have faith in you, I know what you can do as players and I trust that you will get back to winning ways. The most important thing for us is to get wins and the best reward you can give me as players is three points,” Kalekwa said.

He added; “I want to urge all of you to keep playing your roles with discipline, commitment and excellence. I am behind you and if we all work hard as a team, there is nothing we cannot achieve,” further stated the club boss.

The team is scheduled to play a friendly game against national Super League side Police FC on Wednesday morning in Ruiru and will travel to Kakamega for the Sunday tie on Saturday morning.

Sofapaka team that will face Tusker fc at Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos on Saturday 05th January 2019 for the Sportpesa Premier League Championship.

Starting eleven include:

Richard Aimo .32
Brian Magonya .26
Elli Asieche .16 (C)
Titus Achesa .20
Moussa Omar .15
Cliff Kasuti .33
Soter Kayumba .24
John Avire .40
Micheal Oduor .11
Cornelius Juma .07
Dennis Omino .07

SUBSTITUTES

Justin Ndikumana .01
Pistone Mutamba .09
Tevin Omutere .19
Ibrahim Kajuba .25
Stephen Waruru .22
Faina Jacobs .06
Umaru Kasunba .13

Youngster Telvin Omutere has termed it as a dream come true donning the Sofapaka jersey after being handed his starting debut last Wednesday in the 1-1 away draw against Western Stima in Kisumu. Omutere came on as a late second half substitute against Ulinzi Stars over the weekend and impressed in the few minutes he was handed.

Head coach Melis Medo then made the decision to hand the 18-year old a starting role against Western Stima and played for 65 minutes before paving way for Dennis Odhiambo.

“I was super excited when I came on against Ulinzi because this has always been my dream to play in the KPL. I was given a few minutes under my belt but I still managed to play well. When the coach told me I was to start against Stima, I was super excited and I did my best and I think I was impressed with how I played,” Omutere said.

The left footed midfielder was promoted to the seniors from the youth team at the beginning of the season and has continually impressed in training, convincing coach Medo to hand him a chance.

“He has earned it. He works hard in training and when he came on as a sub against Ulinzi, he influenced the game positively. His performance against Stima was also very impressive. He is a young lad eager to learn and very hardworking,” coach Medo said of the youngster.

Omutere now hopes he can gain more minutes this season and be among the best young players of the year with his eyes also cast on earning a place in the junior national teams.

“The coach has really had a positive influence for me because he has been teaching us how to cope under pressure, how best to dictate the tempo of the game and has also instilled a lot of confidence in me,” noted Omutere.

He added; “I am working hard to get more games. Each minute I play is a challenge to be better in the next game and I will work more. If I get a chance to play I will definitely get some call ups to the junior national teams and that’s my target for this season.”

Omutere joined Sofapaka Youth in 2016 as a 16-year old while still in school and has continually grown into the stature of an ambitious footballer and he says his next big target is one day feature in the English Premier League.

Ahead of the match day five duel against Tusker FC, coach Melis Medo says he expects a tough encounter, noting that he respects the pedigree of the 11-time champions and the form they have started the season with.

Medo however notes that his side will be going for all the three points as he seeks to strengthen the team’s chances of battling for the league title.

“We have a lot of respect for Tusker because they are a good team and they have started the season well. But for us, we will concentrate on improving our own statistics and going there to play our football and get a win,” the tactician said.

“We will keep to our style of play and try to build on some consistency. You might see a few new faces in the team but we have to keep playing the way we set out to play,” he further noted.

On the team’s run of three consecutive draws, the tactician says he is not worried and only says the side has been unlucky in converting chances, something which he has worked on in training and expects to improve.

“I am not worried because it is still early. We have six points from four games but that does not mean that the race is over. We keep on improving and we will get our rhythm going. All the games we have drawn, we had chances to win, but we have worked on that and I know we will come good,” further stated Medo.

He has also given an update on who’s fit and who’s not ahead of the afternoon kick off in Machakos.

On Justin Mico: “He has just started training with the rest of the team on Friday morning and I don’t expect him to be fit for Saturday. We will give him the next week and see how well he has picked up fitness,”

On Humphrey Okoti: “He is yet to return to training and so we still evaluate,”

On the return of Umaru Kasumba; “I gave him some minutes in the Stima game and though he is not 100% fit, he is improving. He is a great guy, a fighter in the air and on the ground and one who can give us a lot of options in attack. I am happy that he has returned.”

Sofapaka team that will face Western Stima fc at Moi Stadium, Kisumu on Wednesday 02nd January 2019 for the Sportpesa Premier League Championship.

Starting eleven include:

Richard Aimo .32
Brian Magonya .26
Elli Asieche .16 (C)
Titus Achesa .20
Moussa Omar .15
Willis Obayi .04
Soter Kayumba .24
John Avire .40
Micheal Oduor .11
Umaru Kasumba .13
Cornelius Juma .07

SUBSTITUTES

Isaiah Wakasala .39
Pistone Mutamba .09
Tevin Omutere .19
Ibrahim Kajuba .25
Stephen Waruru .22
Faina Jacobs .06
Dennis Odhiambo .14