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How Kakamega Homeboyz bottled the title

 

For the better part of the 2021/22 season, Kakamega Homeboyz were the Football Kenya Federation Premier League title favourites after leading the league log for three quarters of the season.

However, they bottled it up as champions Tusker pipped them on the final day of the season to successfully bag their 13th  title on Sunday after 2-0 win over Posta Rangers.

Tusker and Homeboyz finished on 63 points, but the brewrs finished top due to a superior goal difference of +4.

By the first week of April, Homeboyz held a 13 point lead at the top and they were clear favourites with less than 10 matches left.

Here Nation Sport looks at how title campaign went up in smoke.

1. Loss to AFC Leopards at Bukhungu

The 2-0 loss against AFC Leopards at Bukhungu on May 29 dented the hosts chances of winning the KPL crown.

At the time, Homeboyz had 57 points and a win would have pushed them three points clear of Tusker who had played a game more.

However, the defeat in a well attended game saw them squander their chances of winning the league early.

Had Homeboyz garnered maximum points in the game which was their third last in the season, then they could have easily bagged the league title.

2. Walkovers complicate matters for Homeboyz

With the 2021/22 FKF-PL season entering homestretch with Tusker and Kakamega Homeboyz joint top on 57 points, it was clear that the winner of the contest could be decided on goal difference.

Then Tusker were ranked ahead of Homeboyz courtesy of a four goal advantage. To realise their dream of a maiden FKF-PL title, Homeboyz thus needed to score as many goals as possible in their two remaining matches against FC Talanta and Kariobangi Sharks.

Also, they were to avoid conceding more goals and hope that Tusker falters in their matches against Bidco United and Posta Rangers.

But Talanta and Sharks failed to honour their matches against Homeboyz. This saw the Kakamega-based side awarded a walkover of a 2-0 win in every match.

It complicated their plans of holding off Tusker in the titanic tussle of the FKF-PL title. Tusker registered an identical 2-0 win over Bidco and Posta to maintain their four-goal advantage over Homeboyz and retain the title. 

3. Four consecutive draws in April

Homeboyz didn't win any match in the month of April and this turned the tide in the title race handing the advantage to Tusker.

They had identical 1-1 draws in back to back matches against Sofapaka, then drew 2-2  against Kenya Police before a 1-1 draw at home against Wazito, who at the time were struggling to avoid relegation.

Dropping eight points out of the maximum 12 points through the draws reduced their 13 point lead at the top and saw Tusker catch up with them.

3. Top-of-the-table loss to Tusker

On May 8,  leaders Kakemga Homeboyz took on Tusker with a four-point lead. The 2-0 for the Ruaraka-based side swung the title race in their favour as it reduced the point gap between the two teams to just a point.

Had Abana ba Ingoo won the game or got atleast a draw, the final outcome might have been different. 

4. Poor home record 

After suffering their first loss of the season against newbies FC Talanta on January 4 at Bukhungu Stadium, Homeboyz started dropping points at home against weak opponents.

They had two consecutive draws against Nairobi City Stars ( 4-4) and Nzoia Sugar (1-1).

These proved costly in the long-run.   BY DAILY NATION  

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