- Sofapaka’s SportPesa League status next season could be decided on Saturday when they host Mathare United at the Kasarani Annex.
- The Round 30 fixture is scheduled for 3pm EAT.
- A win for Sofapaka would keep their slim survival hopes alive, while defeat would confirm their drop to the National Super League next season, with no playoff option available.
Sofapaka’s SportPesa League destiny for next season could be decided on Saturday, May 2, when they host Mathare United at the Kasarani Annex in Round 30, kicking off at 3pm EAT.
This is a must-win for the bottom-placed side, who sit 18th with just 17 points.
A victory could offer them a flicker of hope for surviving relegation, as they would move to 20 points.
Their survival would then hinge on winning the rest of their fixtures, where the maximum points they can collect from all remaining matches is 32, which Posta Rangers currently have in 13 th place.
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However, the relegation permutations are tense. If they fail to snatch all three points, their fate could be sealed.
Even if they claimed 12 points from the four fixtures after a defeat, they would only reach 29 points which will not be enough to stay afloat.
Thus, the Batoto Ba Mungu must edge out the Slum Boys to keep their survival dream alive. This season, the teams finishing 16th, 17th, and 18th will all tumble into the National Super League, with no playoff option.
So far, they have won just three matches, drawn eight of the 29 played, and lost a staggering 18.
They are currently on a 19-match winless run, with their last triumph coming back in November 2025, when they narrowly beat Posta Rangers.
Speaking ahead of the clash, club captain Clifton Miheso admitted that survival chances are getting slimmer, but the lads are clinging to that last shred of optimism.
“Training has been good. We’ve been working hard to climb out of the relegation zone because our position isn’t great. Now the chances are growing slim, but the boys still have hope, and we’ve been putting in the shifts.”
For this encounter, they will throw everything forward, with the focus firmly on attack to bag goals.
“We’ve been tightening up our defense, and now we’re sharpening our attacking precision to score more because that’s just as crucial. So in this match, we are going all-out offensively, and you’ll see a different team,” he added.
On the flip side, Mathare United sit 12th with 34 points, just five above the relegation-threatened Kariobangi Sharks in 16th with 29 points.
So John Kamau’s charges also need to win this clash to keep themselves in a safer spot and avoid the drop zone.
They will be looking to bounce back after a 2-1 defeat last time out against Nairobi United. Another loss could seriously jeopardize their survival hopes.
It won’t be an easy fixture, according to Mohammed Kilume. With relegation looming, the Batoto Ba Mungu have nothing to lose and should pose a stern test.
“People might think that, because Sofapaka are rooted at the bottom, they’ll be easy prey for us,” Kilume told the club media. “But that’s very misguided. Yes, they’re in a tough spot, and with nothing to lose, so to speak, we expect a very difficult game.”
The Slum Boys, who won 1-0 in the reverse fixture, have only won three matches away from home, losing five and drawing five.
Meanwhile, Sofapaka have won just one of their 14 home games this season, getting hammered eight times and held to five draws.