NSL PREVIEW: Top spot up for grabs for Mombasa United as MOFA come calling

The National Super League returns this weekend with ten tantalising showdowns lined up to mark round 10 across the country.

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Action begins on Saturday, 29 November, with three mouthwatering fixtures expected to set the tone for an electrifying weekend of second-tier football.

The highlight of Saturday’s card will unfold at Moi Stadium, Kisumu, where Michael Olunga Football Academy (MOFA) square up against high-flying Mombasa United in a highly anticipated 3:00 PM kickoff.

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MOFA, backed by Harambee Stars captain Michael Olunga, will be desperate to rediscover their winning touch after last weekend’s frustrating barren draw against Naivas FC.

It was yet another setback for a side whose campaign has been riddled with inconsistency, managing only three wins so far.

Coach Charles Bruno will once again rely on MOFA’s imposing perfect home record, a fortress-like advantage that has already delivered two crucial victories this season, 2-1 over Fortune Sacco, and 1-0 against Nairobi City Stars.

But for all their home strength, the Homabay-based outfit faces a stern examination against a Mombasa United side with serious promotion intentions.

The visitors, coached by the experienced Gilbert Selebwa, head into the clash with renewed vigour after last weekend’s commanding 2-0 win over Equity FC, a result that restored momentum and kept their title charge alive.

Mombasa’s biggest concern, however, lies in their unconvincing away form.

In four away matches, they have managed just one victory, a tight 1-0 win over MCF, while suffering defeats to 3K FC and Kisumu All Stars, plus a draw against Nzoia Sugar FC.

This weekend’s clash marks the third meeting between the two ambitious sides.

Last season, both teams exchanged blows: Mombasa claimed a 2-0 win in the first leg, before MOFA replied with a narrow 1-0 victory in the return fixture.

A win for Mombasa United would send them two points clear at the summit, while victory for MOFA would propel them into fifth place on 16 points, tightening the promotion race significantly.

With the sun expected to scorch down in Kisumu, fans can brace for a heated battle on and off the pitch, a fixture brimming for a thriller.

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At GEMS Cambridge, Karen, former FKF Premier League sides Nairobi City Stars and Nzoia Sugar will lock horns in a clash loaded with history and quest for stability.

City Stars come into the match breathing a sigh of relief after finally ending a five-match winless streak with a morale-boosting 2-0 victory over Mwatate United last weekend.

The slump had dragged Salim Babu’s men deep into the bottom half of the table, leaving them 14th and ten points off the summit.

Now, coach Salim Babu is tasked with finding consistency for a team that has struggled to maintain momentum for more than a month.

Standing in their way is a Nzoia Sugar side he once guided to an impressive fourth-place finish during their FKF-PL campaign in 2022, a subplot adding intrigue to an already compelling fixture.

Nzoia, under Charles Odero, also arrive on the back of a much-needed 2-0 win over Kisumu All Stars, bringing an end to a troubling seven-match winless run that had featured multiple draws and costly lapses.

Their win last weekend marked only their second of the season, the first having come in the league’s opening round.

History points toward an evenly poised contest. In their last eight FKF-PL meetings, City Stars have won three, Nzoia two, with the rest ending in draws.

And with only two points separating the sides, the stakes could not be higher.

A win for City Stars would catapult them five places up to eighth on 13 points, while victory for Nzoia would lift them to fifth on 15 points, both scenarios illustrating how tight the mid-table battle remains.

The final fixture of Saturday pits Equity FC against Mully Children Family (MCF) at Ruraka Grounds, a matchup that promises intensity as both sides aim to climb out of mid-table congestion.

The Bankers are seeking to bounce back after a two-match winless run, a dip that interrupted their prior run of strong results, including big wins over Migori Youth and Kibera Black Stars, plus a hard-fought draw against Naivas FC.

Last weekend’s setback raised questions for coach John Mbenzo, who now faces a side enjoying one of the league’s most impressive surges.

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MCF, under the guidance of former player Ezekiel Okare, arrive in Ruraka with a three-match unbeaten streak post coach Vincent Nyaberi's tenure.

Their run includes identical 1-0 victories over MOFA and Luanda Villa, alongside a 0-0 draw with Kabati Youth.

Both teams sit level on 11 points, making this first-ever meeting a battle defined by thin margins and high reward.

A win would lift either side into the sixth and seventh positions, setting the tone for a strong push toward the top half of the table.