Football

All eyes on Dandora Stadium as FKF Cup enters quarterfinal stage

Kakamega Homeboyz celebrate winning the FKF Cup last season © FKF

By Michael Kirwa | Saturday, April 27, 2024

All Domestic Cup quarterfinals will be held at the refurbished Dandora Stadium this weekend.

With 2023–24 FKF Premier League action taking a break after 27 rounds of matches, all will be at Dandora Stadium as the match venue hosts all 2023–24 FKF Cup Quarterfinal matches this weekend.

Dandora Stadium emerged as an alternative venue to host the four matches after heavy rains rendered the Police Sacco Stadium playing surface unplayable.

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Saturday's knockout matches will see defending champions Kakamega Homeboyz take on KCB from 12PM with Kenya Police vs Sofapaka following at 3PM.

Kakamega Homeboyz will be hoping for a second bite of the cherry this season after winning their maiden FKF Cup title last year. Success in that regard will make them the first team since Gor Mahia in 2011 and 2012 to win the competition in consecutive years. Gor Mahia are also the competition's record winners, with 11 titles.

Kakamega Homeboyz set up the fixture with KCB after defeating Tusker 1-0 in the Round of 16.

In the Round of 16, the Bankers, who last won the competition in 2004, when it was known as the Transparency Cup, overcame Bidco United 3-1.

Recent history favours Kakamega Homeboyz in this fixture, as they have won four of their last six meetings against the Nairobi-based side. The Bankers won only one of the remaining two ties, with the other one ending in a draw.

Sofapaka, with three FKF Cup titles, will hope that their pedigree and recent form will count for something when they square it out with Kenya Police FC, who have never won the competition.

Batoto ba Mungu may suffer relegation in the FKF Premier League, but glory in the FKF Cup remains their best chance of silverware this season.

After coming from behind to defeat Bungoma Superstars 5-4 on penalties following a 2-2 draw in regulation time, Sofapaka took the picturesque route to the quarterfinals.

Sofapaka, who have not won in regulation time in their last eight matches in all competitions, will need that luck on Saturday as they confront Kenya Police, who are unbeaten in 2024 and reached the last eight after making easy work of Mombasa Stars with a 3-1 win.

The two teams took three points off each other in the FKF Premier League, with Kenya Police FC winning their Round 27 encounter 2-1 to avenge a 1-0 loss in the first leg.

On Sunday, second-tier side SS Assad and FKF Division One side Compel aim to outperform their opponents as they take on 2018 winners Kariobangi Sharks and 10-time champions AFC Leopards, respectively.

Not since Nakumatt in 2015 had a lower league team reach the FKF Cup finals, and with semifinals set for SS Assad and Compel against FKF Premier League sides, their task to repeat that bit of history will not get more daunting if either of them claims victory on Sunday.

On Sunday, the match between second-tier side SS Assad and Kariobangi Sharks will commence at 12PM. Compel vs AFC Leopards will follow at 3PM

SS Assad needed a 5-4 penalty shootout victory to overcome FKF Coast Regional team Denmak FC after the two teams played out to a 1-1 draw in a Kwale Derby match. Kariobangi Sharks, on the other hand, defeated Ulinzi Stars 2-1 to remain in the competition.

AFC Leopards, eighth in the league and with no hope of winning a 13th league title, are desperate to please a fanbase anxious for glory and therefore will take their match against Compel seriously. Ingwe advanced to the last eight after defeating Shabana 2-0, while Compel defeated FKF NSL side Mara Sugar 2-0.

The winners of Compel vs AFC Leopards will meet either Kenya Police FC or Sofapaka in the semifinals.

SS Assad and Kariobangi Sharks are on the same route to the final as KCB and Kakamega Homeboyz.

The weekend of May 26–27 will see the semifinals.