Shabana, Murang'a Seal eye NSL title after securing promotion

With promotion ambitions already sealed, two National Super League (NSL) heavyweights Shabana and Murang’a Seal are for an epic title showdown with four matches left before the end of the season.

League leaders Murang’a Seal who secured promotion after a hard-fought 1-0 scalp over Coastal Heroes in Mombasa on Sunday are level on points with second-placed Shabana albeit with a game in hand and could go top with a win when they face fifth seed Darajani Gogo on Friday at Camp Toyoyo.  

Led by former Shabana tactician Vincent Nyaberi, their direct qualification to the top tier league has come as a huge relief to their bitter loss in the hands of Wazito FC in last season NSL/FKF Premier League playoff on away goals despite fighting back to force a 4-4 aggregate scoreline.

Nyaberi says they will fight to secure all points on offer from the remaining three matches to have fate in their hands at the end of the season.

“I am glad we have secured promotion which is a huge relief for us but the achievement gives us ample time to focus on winning the title.

“I know it is not going to be easy given the fact that Shabana have one game at hand and are also on a roll but we will approach every match as a final and I am confident nothing will stop us,” he told Citizen Digital.

Elsewhere Shabana head coach Sammy Okoth is marveling at a rare feat having helped the Gusii Stadium-based side return to the Premier League after a near two-decade long hiatus courtesy of an invaluable 1-0 victory over fellow promotion hopefuls Migori Youth on Sunday.

Okoth feels capping their season with the NSL title will be a fitting end to a perilous journey that saw their resurgence ambition hit rock bottom in 2014 when they were relegated to Division One before starting their journey to the top.

“Shabana is one of the few community clubs that are ardently followed and managing to return to the crème-de la crème of Kenyan football is very satisfying.

“The team has been on a rollercoaster journey but in the end achieving promotion is worth every sacrifice all stakeholders have made.

“We now have one job, and that is to qualify as champions. We are ready to absorb all challenges along the way.”
The two sides will clash in a potential title decider on 2nd June at St. Sebastian Park in Murang’a in what is expected to be a high-octane affair.