High drama awaits Kenyan football fans as beleaguered Sofapaka FC lock horns with National Super League outfit Naivas FC in a do-or-die promotion/relegation playoff clash this Saturday afternoon. The pressure-cooker encounter at the Police Sacco Grounds marks the first leg of a winner-takes-all battle, with a single team securing a coveted spot in the 2024/25 FKF Premier League.
Sofapaka, having narrowly escaped automatic relegation after a tumultuous season that saw them finish a precarious 16th in the top tier, face a fight for survival. Standing in their way is a determined Naivas side, brimming with ambition. The National Super League bronze medalists are hungry for a historic first-ever appearance in the Kenyan Premier League, aiming to emulate fellow NSL sides Mara Sugar and Mathare United who secured promotion.
Historically, the cards have favored Premier League teams in these playoffs. Sofapaka’s interim head coach, Ezekiel Akwana, is keenly aware of this trend and is determined to maintain it. “We’d hoped to avoid this playoff, but we’re here now, and we’ll fight tooth and nail,” Akwana declared to Mozzart Sport in a pre-match interview. “Saturday is a battle for our Premier League life, and we’ll leave everything on the pitch. We have one foot in the top tier, but the other foot is precariously dangling outside.”
Sofapaka, nicknamed ‘Batoto ba Mungu‘ (The Holy Men), confront a Naivas side that dominated the National Super League for the first half of the season. Under coach Charles Omondi, Naivas amassed a remarkable 22 wins with only 6 losses – a joint-best record in the NSL. This blistering form saw them leading the promotion race until January, before a slight dip in performance.
“We understand Naivas is a formidable team, highly motivated for promotion,” acknowledged Akwana. “Obviously, we’re equally motivated to stay in the Premier League. It’ll be a fierce battle, but we’re prepared and confident of victory.”
The opening leg, as stipulated by the FKF, will be Naivas’ home fixture. The return leg, a week later on Sunday, July 14th, will be staged at Sofapaka’s Dandora Stadium.
Playoff Format:
- Both matches will be played for the full 90 minutes.
- The team with the higher aggregate score after the two legs will secure promotion to the 2024/25 FKF Premier League.
- In the event of a tie on aggregate score, the team with the most away goals will be declared the winner.
- If the teams remain tied on both aggregate and away goals, the match will be decided by a penalty shootout.
