Mathare United return to the Kasarani Stadium Annexe on Sunday for a Premier League battle with APS Bomet.
This match has a significant bearing on the race for survival for both teams. With four matches left to play, United sit 12th in the standings and just five points above the relegation zone. APS are in 13th and just a point behind John Kamau’s men.
Sunday’s early kickoff is therefore a six-pointer, one that Elli Asieche believes that he and his teammates need to win.
“We are thinking about three points, and nothing else, come Sunday,” Asieche, who is one of the longest serving players in the team, said as he previewed the battle with Sammy Omollo’s men. “It is going to be a tough match as the winner will gain a significant advantage in the survival race. But after all is said and done, I believe we have placed ourselves with a strong chance of winning with how we have prepared.”
The Slumboys have struggled this season with inconsistency and so far have yet to win back-to-back matches. This situation now threatens the team’s place in next season’s top flight, but Asieche, who was part of the team that earned promotion from the NSL two seasons ago, has reiterated that the thought of relegation hasn’t crossed the players’ minds as they fully believe they have what it takes to avoid a relegation scrap.
“Our mind as a team isn’t on relegation because we all believe that we shouldn’t be in this situation in the first place, given the quality in the squad. Fate is in our hands, and all we need to do is just win our games. We have four matches remaining, and winning all four is possible even if we haven’t had that consistency this season,” Asieche said.
Asieche was on target as Mathare drew 1-1 with Bomet in the reverse game played in Kericho last year.