With the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) set to take a break until January 3, 2020, it seems Tusker and Kakamega Homeboyz have shown enough grit to highlight their desire to clinch the title.

Tusker and Homeboyz are placed first and second respectively after last  weekend’s matches and will be hoping that third-placed Gor Mahia are not pepped up by the three matches at hand over them in their quest to retain the cup.

Gor, who were exempted from the fixtures, enjoyed long spells at the top of the table and will fancy their chances of winning all the three duels to take an unassailable lead again once the league resumes.

Yet it is Tusker and Homeboyz who will be going into the Christmas and New Year merriment with equal measure of enchantment after settling for draws in their respective matches.

Although Tusker is one of the teams highly rated to challenge Gor for the title, they found their match in AFC Leopards who held them to a barren draw at Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos with coach Robert Matano expressing disappointment with the result.

“We did not play our usual passing game and there was lethargy on the part of the front-runners.

This was not the result we wanted and we must improve going forward,” said Matano.

Leopards must have been contented with the result but on the flip side, there is disquiet at the den after the team’s coach Andre Casa Mbungo issued a two-week notice to quit the team over unpaid wages.

In the meantime, a dark, ominous cloud continued hanging over Kariobangi Sharks after their poor performance persisted in a 3-3 draw with Posta Rangers in Kasarani.

It was the manner in which Rangers, who looked dead and buried, notched the equalizing goal, that left Sharks fans a bitter lot with a with a section of them calling for the sacking of Head Coach William Muluya.

With the match split seconds away to the end, Rangers’ Francis Nambute capitalized on a school-boy error by Sharks defence and dutifully placed the ball at the back of the net past Brian Bwire.

Apparently, it was the howler which resulted into Sharks two-goal hero James Mazembe thinking that his efforts were in vain as he shed tears soon after the match.

Sharks have now gone eight matches without a win much to the chagrin of their fans. 

Elsewhere in Nakuru, Kakamega Homeboyz exceeded expectation by holding Ulinzi to a two-all draw in a result that kept alive their hopes of clinching the silverware at the end of the season.

With Gor third, they are followed by Western Stima, KCB, Ulinzi and Sofapaka all who harbor chances of pushing for the crown.