Category: Sports

By Dennis Mungai

Tottenham Hotspurs’ unbeaten start to the league came to a shattering halt as Chelsea romped to a 4-1 win over their rivals on Monday night. Ange Postecoglou’s men came into this match looking to head back to the top of the table and had a perfect start after Kulusevki’s shot deflected off Levi Colwill to put Spurs ahead.

But red cards to Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie changed the game completely. Nicolas Jackson scored his first Chelsea hat trick in the dying minutes of the game to inflict Spurs their first loss of the season. The result sees Chelsea move up to tenth place and give them motivation ahead of their clash with current leaders Man City on Sunday.

In other results, Nottingham Forest beat Aston Villa 2-0, while stubborn Luton Town held Liverpool to a 1 all draw. Luton looked set to get their first home win of the season but Luis Diaz equalized in the final minutes of the game to rescue a point for the Reds. On Saturday Arsenal’s unbeaten start to the league also ended as they lost 1-0 to Newcastle, thanks to a controversial goal by Anthony Gordon.

Bruno Fernandes was once again Man United’s hero as his late goal helped his team beat Fulham 1-0. Fulham looked set to pound more pressure on Erik Ten Hag but United’s captain brilliantly dummied two defenders before rifling a shot into the bottom corner. Sheffield United earned their first win of the season as they upset Wolves 2-1. More pressure mounted on Vincent Kompany as his Burnley team lost again to Crystal Palace 2-0.

Manchester City stomped to the top of the table with a 6-1 thumping  at home to Bournemouth. Jeremy Doku was the star of the match as he scored a goal and provided 4 assists, making him the youngest player, at just 21, in English Premier League history to have five goal involvements in one match. Pep Guardiola’s men currently top the table with 27 points, with Spurs in second place with 26. Arsenal round up the top four with 24 points and will look to get back to winning ways when they host Burnley on Saturday.

By Dennis Mungai

Video Assistant Referee, otherwise known as VAR, was introduced in international football to assist the on field referees in making decisions. But in recent occasions people have questioned its impact on the game, on and off the field. From turning yellow cards to red cards, ruling out goals for offside or reverting penalty decisions,  this technology has left many with a bitter taste in their mouths.

Take this season in the English Premier League for instance. First gameweek of the season, Manchester United face Wolves. At 1-0 and towards the end of the game, Wolves striker Sasa Kalajdzic jumps to head the ball to score from a set piece situation. United keeper Onana completely misses the ball and collides with the striker smack in the face. The VAR ruled out a penalty for Wolves, with Wolves coach causing tantrums so much that he got a yellow card. After much public outcry, the referees’ official body put out an apology the following week, admitting that Wolves should have been awarded the penalty. They eventually lost that game 1-0 .

Fast forward to when Liverpool faced Spurs. Luis Diaz scores a goal for Liverpool, but is adjuged to have been offside and the goal is ruled out. Again, the week after, official referee report puts out an apology saying there was an error in that decision making, thanks to VAR. The most recent case of Anthony Gordon’s goal againt Newcastle has everyone talking. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has called it an “absolute disgrace” and termed the goal being awarded as “completely embarrassing.”

The goal line technology is probably the only significance VAR has brought to the game. Since on field referees can’t play back their own memory of whether the ball crossed the line completely, the technology has helped and settled many debates on whether a goal should stand or not. The time wasted to complete the verification of whether goals should stand,or if a team should get a penalty or not is what is rubbing fans, players and managers the wrong way. All that time only for the eventual decision to be “falsely arrived at”, a common statement in the official referees’ reports.

Some have claimed for the VAR to be scraped off completely, while others want its “opinion” on matches to be significantly reduced. The sad reality is that Wolves will not get that penalty, which if they had scored, would have earned them a point. Neither will Luis Diaz get back his goal for Liverpool. Even worse, Arsenal’s unbeaten run in the league came to an end thanks to the Anthony Gordon goal. As Liverpool’s manager Klopp said after that match, “we are not children that we keep asking for a rematch every day, there’s nothing that can be done so we just move to the next game.”

(Photo courtesy of EPL) 

By Dennis Mungai

Finally the English Premier League is back this weekend after a 2 week international break. Eight matches are set to be played on Saturday, with the early kick off match being a derby between Liverpool and their local rivals Everton. Everton look rejuvenated with the return of Dominic Calvert Lewin and look set to cause an upset against Klopp’s men.

The 5 pm local time kick off matches include Wolves travelling to Bournemouth, Brentford hosting Burnley and Man City host Brighton. Pep Guardiola is looking to avoid a third straight league defeat for his team, which last happened in 2016. City welcome back Rodri from suspension, while John Stones is also fit from a muscle injury. Newcastle host Crystal Palace in the other five o’clock games, with Nottingham Forest facing Luton at the same time.

The big match of the weekend is the north London derby between Chelsea and Arsenal. Mikel Arteta’s men are level on points with leaders Spurs and are still unbeaten after 8 games. It is not yet confirmed whether star man Bukayo Saka will start but the Gunners look to upset the slow but steady resurgence at Chelsea.

Chelsea beat Burnley 4-1 last time out and will look to capitalize on their new found form. Their star player Raheem Sterling delivered a man of the match perfomance and all eyes will be at Stamford Bridge when the two teams lock horns. Man United travel to Sheffield in the late night game, hoping to make it two wins from two games after their last minute comeback win against Brentford last time out.

On Sunday, Aston Villa host West Ham,looking to continue their 10 match winning home streak against David Moyes’ men. Ollie Watkins is in good form, scoring 4 goals and providing 4 assists since the start of the season. A win for either team would see them end the weekend inside the prestigious top 4 spots, a guaranteed Champions League spot for next season. The games conclude on Monday when top of the table Spurs host Fulham. Ange Postecoglou’s tactics has seen his team rise to top spot in the league, still unbeaten and collecting 20 points from 8 games.

  (Photo courtesy of The Star)

By Arthur Watenda

The Mashemeji derby, pitting AFC Leopards against Gor Mahia will be played this Saturday at the Kasarani stadium with bragging rights at stake as the FKF Premier League enters round six.

In their most recent encounter, AFC Leopards ended a seven-year winless streak against Gor Mahia, securing a memorable win with Maxwell Otieno’s towering header from Eugene Mukangula’s corner. Victor Omune and Austin Odhiambo also contributed to the scoreline, resulting in a gripping contest that took place on May 14, 2023.

This upcoming match marks the 97th face-off between these two teams, with Gor Mahia holding a superior head-to-head record, having claimed victory 33 times, while AFC Leopards triumphed 29 times, and 35 matches ended in draws.

AFC Leopards enters the derby in a challenging position, having struggled in the early stages of the season, with no wins in their first five games.

The Tom Juma’s charges have lost once and head into the derby on the back of a 1-1 draw against Shabana FC which was the fourth of the season.

Goals have been hard to come by for Leopards, scoring only three while conceding four. The pressure is mounting on manager Tom Juma, who is at risk of facing the same fate as some other sacked coaches, with AFC Leopards sitting 15th in the league, just a point away from the relegation play-off spot.

On the other hand, reigning champions Gor Mahia have experienced mixed results but remain unbeaten after five rounds of play. Currently, they sit in second place on the league table with nine points, trailing league leaders Posta Rangers by four points. Gor Mahia has won twice, drawn thrice, and scored eight goals while conceding four.

Adding to the excitement, this Mashemeji derby will make history as the first match to be broadcast by Azam TV, the official broadcast partners of the league. The federation signed a 7-year deal with the Tanzanian broadcaster worth 145 million weeks ago and it will be the second time they will be airing the derby.

Kick-off for the derby is scheduled for 4 pm.

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By Dennis Mungai

Week 6 of the 2023/24 Premier League has come to a close after an enthralling weekend of goals and drama all round. The first match of the weekend saw Crystal Palace play out a barren draw with Fulham. Everton’s Dominic Calvert Lewin came off the bench on his return from injury to score as Everton beat Brentford 3-1 to get their first win of the season.

Elsewhere Erling Haaland scored his eighth goal of the season as City maintained their unbeaten start to the season, beating Nottingham Forest 2-0 at the Etihad. Luton Town got their first point of the season in a 1- 1 draw with Wolves. Manchester United got back to winning ways as Bruno Fernandes scored the only goal in a 1-0 win for the Red Devils.

On Sunday, the north-London derby began the fixtures as both teams looked to continue their unbeaten start to the season. An own goal from Cristian Romero and Bukayo Saka penalty put Arsenal ahead but Heung-Min Son scored twice to rescue a point for Postecoglou’s men. Chelsea suffered their third loss of the season under Pochettino, losing 1-0 to Aston Villa to extend their goalless streak to three games. Sub Kaoru Mitoma scored twice as Brighton beat Bournemouth 3-1.

Liverpool made it 16 games unbeaten with a 3-1 win over West Ham. Goals from Salah, Jota and Nunez secured all three points for the Reds, taking them to second place in the league table. Newcastle United made history as the first team  to have eight different scorers in one match, ripping apart Sheffield United 8-0. Eddie Howe’s men were 4-0 up by half time before Almiron, Isak, Gordon and Guimaraes sealed the biggest away win in Newcastle’s history. That loss sees Sheffield drop behind Burnley into bottom place in the table.

{Photo courtesy of Capital News}

By  Dennis Mungai

Harambee Stars lost their international friendly match against South Sudan 1-0 at the Kasarani Stadium on Tuesday evening. The only goal of the game was scored by Tito Okello in the second minute of the match. Kenya’s coach Firat made only one change to the team that beat Qatar 2-1 a few days back. Brian Mandela started in defence as Stars looked to beat South Sudan for the fifth time in row in matches between the two teams.

That was not to happen however, as the home team fell behind after two minutes. South Sudan held on and defended their lead till the final whistle, with Stars missing out on chances through Michael Olunga. This was Harambee Stars’ first match at home in 2 years, mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic leading to stoppage of football across the country.

Coach Firat is hoping his boys can make amends and deliver better results ahead of their FIFA 2026 World Cup qualifiers later this month. Harambee Stars are in the same group with Burundi, Ivory Coast, Guinea and Seychelles.

{Photo courtesy of Vagabondish}

By Dennis Mungai

Anyone who is a true football fan will remember the last day of the 2011/12 English Premier League season very well. Sergio Aguero scoring the last goal of the season to help Man City beat QPR 3-2 and win the first Premier League trophy for the Citizens. Their noisy neighbors Man United had won their match and a draw for City would have seen the title go to Old Trafford. So memorable is this moment that outside Etihad Stadium, City’s home ground there’s a statue of Aguero celebrating with his shirt off.

Eleven years later, no one would have envisioned what today’s football has become. It seems there’s always something extra to fight for, not just the trophy and medals. Nowadays Premier League matches begin by players taking a knee to show their support in the “No room for racism” initiative. This was mainly brought by the infamous George Floyd,a black man who was murdered by white cops back in 2020, sparking a “Black Lives Matter” campaign across the globe.

Black players have suffered the worst due to racism by fans, officials and even other people. Take the Champions League game between PSG and Istanbul Basaksehir for instance. One of the members of the Istanbul technical team was racially abused by a UEFA official. The players got so infuriated that they left the match and was forfeited in the 25th minute.

Video Assistant Referee ( VAR) is another problem. Teams have lost games and players sent off for mistakes committed only for the referees’ official body to issue an apology for unfair treatment. Countless cases of players being red carded then having it withdrawn have floored the football world in recent past. The unforgettable one is Man United’s game against Brighton. Players had to be brought from the dressing room way after the game was over just to take a penalty after VAR intervened and overturned the ref’s decision.  Of course the technology has its advantages, like helping define whether a ball had completely crossed the line for a goal or was cleared out in the nick of time.

The issues surrounding gender equality have also slipped into the game. The recently- concluded  FIFA Women’s World Cup has many fans questioning the women- empowerment agenda and how far it should go. People have learnt more about the women’s game because of the drama that surrounds it and not the game itself. Spanish FA président Rubiales is now facing sexual assault charges for kissing World Cup- winning Spanish player Hermoso on the mouth.

I have not even delved into the Saudi league and the ridiculous amounts of money players are shifting clubs for. There’s debate that value of football is now being equated directly with money spent. LGBTQ community has also gained support, with June being the pride month. The corner flags, stadium designs, background colors on social media pages, captains’ armbands, even boots’ laces all show support for this community not only during that month but generally.

Sometimes I watch that Aguero goal again and just take in that moment. The aura in that stadium at that exact moment when he celebrates with the fans, while their rivals in the other stadium have dejected faces. We might never go back to such days, when it was only football that mattered and nothing else, but it was special while it lasted.

{Photo courtesy of Remezcla}

By Dennis Mungai

The 2023 Ballon D’Or nominees list has been released ahead of the awards ceremony slated for October 30 in Paris, France. Football’s most prestigious award went to Karim Benzema last year after winning the Champions League and La Liga with Real Madrid. The nomination for this year’s award has taken into consideration not only domestic league form but also performance on the global stage, notably the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Lionel Messi is in contention and will battle it out with fellow World Cup finalist Kylian Mbappe and his Argentinian teammate Emiliano Martinez. Another Argentine, Lautaro Martinez is also in the list after having won the World Cup and reached the Champions League final with Inter Milan. Manchester City has a decent representation in the list, with Ruben Dias, Kevin De Bruyne  Rodri, Bernardo Silva and Golden Boot winner Erling Haaland all being nominated.

This was after Man City won the Champions League for the first time in the club’s history to complete an unprecedented treble. Sevilla’s goalkeeper Yassine Bounou made it to the list after his heroics helped Morocco reach the semis of the 2022 FIFA World Cup as the only African team to have gone that far.

Despite losing out on the Premier League trophy last season, Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard have made the list as well. There are quite a number of new names on the list, with first time nominations for players like  Napoli’s Kvichi Kvarastkhelia, Man City’s Josko Gvardiol, who won German Cup for Leipzig last season and Man U’s keeper Andre Onana, who reached Champions League final with Inter Milan last season.

{Photo courtesy of SN}

By Dennis Mungai

Round three of the English Premier League ended yesterday with the fixture between Liverpool and Newcastle United closing out what has been an interesting weekend. Defending champions Manchester City had to scrap and settle for a 2-1 win over newly promoted Sheffield United. Last season’s top scorer Erling Haaland missed a penalty but still scored with a header for his third goal this season.

Arsenal blew a 2-1 lead to concede late in the match and end with a 2-2 draw against Fulham at the Emirates Stadium. Bukayo Saka scored a penalty and Eddie Nketiah tapped in the second goal. But Joah Palhinha poked in a late equalizer to spoil Arteta’s perfect start to the season.  Liverpool needed Darwin Nunez’s last minute heroics to beat Newcastle 2-1 as he came off the bench to score both the equalizer and winner for the Reds. Anthony Gordon had put Newcastle ahead but Virgil Van Dijk was sent off some minutes later for denying Isak a goal scoring opportunity.

Brentford drew 1-1 with Crystal Palace and Everton ended the third straight weekend without a goal or a point as they lost 1-0 to Wolves. James Maddison continued his hot form for Spurs with another goal as they beat Bournemouth 2-0. Elsewhere, Brighton’s fine start to the season was ended by a 3-1 home defeat to West Ham, inspired by new signing James Ward-Prowse stellar perfomance.

At Old Trafford, Manchester United had to come back from an early surprise by Nottingham Forest. The Red Devils were 2-0 down after just four minutes thanks to goals by Taiwo Awoniyi and Willy Boly. Goals by Christian Eriksen and Casemiro restored some calm for Ten Hag’s men before Bruno Fernandes scored the winning goal via a penalty in the second half to secure all three points. Chelsea got their first win under new manager Pochettino by beating Luton Town 3-0 on Friday. Raheem Sterling scored twice, with new signing Nicolas Jackson getting his name on the scoresheet as well.

{Photo courtesy of Goal.com}

By Dennis Mungai

Chelsea’s new signing Moises Caicedo made his debut in a substitute appearance for the Blues. The Ecuadorian, first of that nationality to play for the Blues, came in the second half in place of Ben Chilwell and was welcomed by the travelling Chelsea fans in the match against West Ham.

It was soon a debut to forget however, after Caicedo fouled former Chelsea player Emerson in the penalty box in the dying minutes of the game. Lucas Paqueta scored the resulting penalty to finish off the match with a 3-1 win, leaving new Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino still winless going into the third week of the season. The other West Ham goals were scored by Michail Antonio and Nayef Aguerd, who was later red-carded in the second half.

The 115 million- pound signing is one of the many players brought in a “rebuild” mission for Chelsea, but if today’s result is anything to go by, there’s still lots of work to be done. New captain Reece James is out with injury, again and the decision to captain Chilwell leaves many confused. There’s a lack of experience in the squad and even with 75% ball possesion, the Blues were not able to seriously threaten West Ham keeper Alphonse Areola. This may be a long shot, but if Romelu Lukaku does not leave the club, Poch may be forced to include him in his plans.

Chelsea face Luton Town next on Friday, with the latest signing Romeo Lavia hoping to make his debut. The 21 yr old moved from Southampton for about 50 Million pounds and is looking to complete the midfield trio of himself, Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez. Chelsea are currently in 15th place with 1 point from last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.