NAIROBI, Kenya, May 13 – On Sunday, Scotland’s Rangers FC refused to give their sworn rivals Celtic the traditional ‘guard of honor’ when they clashed in the Old Firm Derby with The Bhoys having clinched the Scottish League title.

The decision was simple, a vote was taken in the Rangers dressing room and the result was a resounding NO; one that was criticized across the football divide in Scotland and beyond. They went on to win 2-0 and take the bragging rights off the derby.

Well, 11,366km away, Kenya’s AFC Leopards might find themselves in a similar situation when they take on arch-rivals Gor Mahia in the Mashemeji Derby on Sunday at the Kasarani Stadium.

Gor beat their closest rivals Sofapaka 2-0 in Kisumu on Sunday to open up a 10-point gap on top of the Kenyan Premier League standings and that means they can be crowned champions by Sunday before they play AFC if they beat Nzoia Sugar in Mumias on Wednesday.

AFC will need favors from not only their ‘small brothers’ Nzoia FC but Bandari to save them from the discomfort and pain of giving their arch rivals a guard of honor on Sunday.

Bandari are 14 points behind and mathematically, still stand a chance to win the league title as they have played two games less. But, that can be taken care of early enough if Bandari lose against Chemelil Sugar on Tuesday and Tusker on Thursday in Mombasa.

Gor need five points to mathematically make it impossible for anyone to crash their party.

Even worse now is that Gor might actually confirm themselves as champions if they win the derby, that is if Bandari wins one of its two midweek matches.

“We are very close. We are very close now and at least I can say that we might be champions,” Gor Mahia boss Hassan Oktay told Capital Sport in Kisumu on Sunday.

“We have worked hard as a team and we deserve this. Today (against Sofapaka) we did our best, we commanded the game and took our chances. I am pleased with the players. It has been a long season for us with the many matches and injuries taking toll on the team, but we have made it,” the tactician stated.

Just like last season, Gor have won the league title way before the season ends, and this is despite having one of the most clogged calendars of any of the rest of the 17 KPL teams.

Oktay has praised his players for their resilience and never say die attitude and believes they should now translate that same form and dominance in continental football, making the huge claim that he wants his side to be in the Champions League final next year.

“Look at Esperance and Berkane. They are playing in the final. We have faced them and proved tough opposition. Why not us? Next year, that is the target,” Oktay declared.

%thecontent%%avatar%

%author%

%authornetworks%

%authordescription%

%authornetworks%

Comments

%sidebar%","opedarticle":"","sidead1":"ff","sidead2":"dd","sidead3":"","homestory":"

%title%

%game%%date%Read More--","taxonomyitem":"

%title%

%game%%date%Read More------","fixtureitem":"%name1%%score1%VS%score2%%name2%%time%","home":"rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn 1rn 2rn 3rn 4rn 5rn rn rn rn

Bad start cost us league title, says Baraza

rn rn Footballrn rn rn Monday, 13th May 2019rn rn rn rn Read Articlern rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrnrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

More Headlines

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Man Utd face daunting task to recover former gloriesrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 10 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Liverpool seek ‘perfection’ in bid to dethrone Pep’s Cityrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 10 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Mercedes dominance bad for F1 box ofice — Hamiltonrn

rn rn Motorsrn rn rn rn 11 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn S.Africa to appeal against Semenya testosterone rulingrn

rn rn Athleticsrn rn rn rn 11 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Camp Nou experience revs up Chapa Dimba All-Stars in Spainrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 12 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn African players in Europe: Mahrez stars for champions Cityrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 14 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrn rn rn

Most Popular

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Why Spurs fans are not happy with Wanyamarn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Discarded Origi is now a symbol of Liverpool's penchant for the improbablern rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Origi the hero as Liverpool dump Messiu2019s Barcelona out of Champions Leaguern rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Kenyans On Twitter brag of Wanyama, u2018Origiu2019 ahead of UCL finalrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Three things we learned from Liverpool v Barcelonarn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Origi now a darling to Liverpool fans on Twitterrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Pochettino says 'stupid' to stay at Spurs with no planrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Lucas Moura, from PSG cast-off to Tottenham idolrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Athleticsrn rn rn rn rn Kenya drops two sprinters over testosteronern rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

All Sports

rn trn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Man Utd face daunting task to recover former glories

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Monday, 13th May 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Family affair as Serena, Venus set up Rome rematch

rn rn rn Gamern rn Monday, 13th May 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Liverpool seek ‘perfection’ in bid to dethrone Pep’s City

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Monday, 13th May 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Mercedes dominance bad for F1 box ofice — Hamilton

rn rn rn Motorsrn rn Monday, 13th May 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

S.Africa to appeal against Semenya testosterone ruling

rn rn rn Athleticsrn rn Monday, 13th May 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Poll Question

rn rn ntnttnttntt

Will Barcelona win the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League?

ntt
• YES
ntt
• NO
ntt

View Results

ntnn Loading ...n rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Camp Nou experience revs up Chapa Dimba All-Stars in Spain

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Monday, 13th May 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Brighton take “difficult decision” to sack Hughton

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Monday, 13th May 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

African players in Europe: Mahrez stars for champions City

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Monday, 13th May 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Champions League glory would transform Spurs: Pochettino

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Monday, 13th May 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Raptors hero Leonard bounces in winning buzzer beater

rn rn rn Basketballrn rn Monday, 13th May 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Load More Storiesrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Sponsored

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Featured

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Timothy Olobulurn Bad start cost us league title, says Barazarn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 13th May 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn Timothy Olobulurn Mount Kenya knocking on relegation doorrn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 13th May 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Man Utd face daunting task to recover former gloriesrn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 13th May 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Family affair as Serena, Venus set up Rome rematchrn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 13th May 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Liverpool seek ‘perfection’ in bid to dethrone Pep’s Cityrn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 13th May 2019rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnttt","sidebar":"rn rn rntrn rn t

Most Popular

rn rn t rn t

rn tWhy Spurs fans are not happy with Wanyamarn

rn Footballrn rn Tuesday, 7th May 2019rn rn rn t

rn tDiscarded Origi is now a symbol of Liverpool's penchant for the improbablern

rn Footballrn rn Wednesday, 8th May 2019rn rn rn t

rn tOrigi the hero as Liverpool dump Messiu2019s Barcelona out of Champions Leaguern

rn rn rn Wednesday, 8th May 2019rn rn rn t

rn tKenyans On Twitter brag of Wanyama, u2018Origiu2019 ahead of UCL finalrn

rn Footballrn rn Thursday, 9th May 2019rn rn rn t

rn tThree things we learned from Liverpool v Barcelonarn

rn Footballrn rn Wednesday, 8th May 2019rn rn rn t

rn tOrigi now a darling to Liverpool fans on Twitterrn

rn Footballrn rn Wednesday, 8th May 2019rn rn rn t

rn tPochettino says 'stupid' to stay at Spurs with no planrn

rn Footballrn rn Saturday, 11th May 2019rn rn rn t

rn tLucas Moura, from PSG cast-off to Tottenham idolrn

rn Footballrn rn Thursday, 9th May 2019rn rn rn t

rn tKenya drops two sprinters over testosteronern

rn Athleticsrn rn Saturday, 11th May 2019rn rn rn rn rn trn rn rnrn rn rn rn t

Featured

rn rn trn rn rn rn rn Timothy Olobulurn Bad start cost us league title, says Barazarn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 13th May 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn Timothy Olobulurn Mount Kenya knocking on relegation doorrn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 13th May 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Man Utd face daunting task to recover former gloriesrn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 13th May 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Family affair as Serena, Venus set up Rome rematchrn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 13th May 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Liverpool seek ‘perfection’ in bid to dethrone Pep’s Cityrn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 13th May 2019rn rn rn rn rn rn rn trn rn rn rn","articleerror":"

Oops...Something broke on our end

"},"messages":{"accessdenied":"Access to the account has been denied ","httperror":"Oops, something went wrong...please try again","contactgoogle":"Contacting Google","firsttime":"Seems this is your first time with this signin system. Please wait as we get your name","signinsuccess":"Cool. You're now signed in. This signin will close automatically now","pendingrequest":"Still communicating with the server","signedout":"Seems you were signed out. Try submitting again after you've been signed in","trackingerror":"Couldn't track Analytics","xhrnotconfigured":"To webmaster: Please confirm the xhr/ajax receptor is configured on the server","loadmore":"Load more stories"}}; /* ]]> */