How Tusker and Homeboyz FKF Cup progress set stage for interesting Premier League race

© Kakamega Homeboyz

FKF CUP How Tusker and Homeboyz FKF Cup progress set stage for interesting Premier League race

Kiplagat Sang 12:40 - 21.05.2023

Pulse Sports dissects the different routes teams can take to secure CAF Confederation Cup and Champions League tickets.

Tusker’s progress to the final of the Football Kenya Federation Cup final set the stage for a probable interesting twist in the race to capture the CAF Confederation Cup ticket.

Kakamega Homeboyz, who are this year’s finalists after eliminating AFC Leopards, could get a continental ticket without kicking a ball.

Although Homeboyz would want to win the domestic trophy and end the longest wait for a title in their history, they are on the verge of a continental qualification, rather easily.

Tusker are in the race to retain the FKF Premier League title, and if they successfully do it, it means Homeboyz will automatically represent Kenya in the Confederation Cup.

But if K’Ogalo end up as league champions, the cup final between Homeboyz and Tusker will be a do-or-die showdown as both will be fighting for the remaining ticket to the CAF competition.

So, Homeboyz could silently be praying that Tusker win the league in order to assure them a double chance of getting a CAF ticket next season.

But since Robert Matano’s side is not sure of the league’s fate now, they are expected to be serious in the chase for the FKF Cup. This is because if Gor Mahia end up as champions, they will be relieved to be Kenya’s Confederation Cup representatives, but by beating Homeboyz to the domestic gong.

Gor Mahia have been absent from the African stage for some time now and are motivated to make a comeback by clinching the league title.

The league race is going to be interesting as Nzoia Sugar are also in contention, meaning they have their sights slightly fixed on the Champions League.

A slight slip up by Tusker and Gor Mahia could see the Sugar Millers maneuver their way to the top and get a chance to be Champions League participants next season. They can only do this by winning the league, and this raises the stakes of the competition even higher.

In all these, Tusker enjoy quite an advantage as they can secure continental tickets through two routes; by winning the league or the FKF Cup.

Homeboyz need to win the cup or hope Tusker can weather the storm in the league and emerge champions in order to brush shoulders with African teams next term.

Nzoia and Gor Mahia only have one way to the CAF stage: by winning the league title.