The National Super League promotion race will head to Dandora Stadium this afternoon as Naivas FC and Mathare United face off in a crucial encounter, with both teams eager to secure victory to bolster their chances of earning promotion to the top tier.Mathare United is currently second in the standings with 61 points, two more than third-placed Naivas FC and four behind leaders Mara Sugar FC, who could extend their lead further if they win against Kisumu All-Stars on Sunday afternoon in Kisumu.##NAJAVA_MECA_8088466##With eight games remaining, all automatic promotion spots are still up for grabs, and both teams will strive to accumulate as many points as possible to enhance their prospects of reaching the top tier next season.The two teams enter the match with contrasting fortunes. Naivas has been winless in the last five games, losing two out of the five matches. On the contrary, Mathare United remains undefeated under new coach Francis Kimanzi. In the six matches under his leadership, they have won three and drawn the other three.The match also marks a reunion between coach Collins Omondi and Francis Kimanzi, who previously worked together with Omondi serving as Kimanzi’s deputy at Mathare. Omondi was also at the helm of the 2008 league champions when they suffered relegation from the top tier last year.Last weekend saw both teams dropping points, with Mathare drawing 0-0 with the Dimba Patriots and Naivas settling for a 1-1 draw against Vihiga Bullets. Coach Omondi expressed dissatisfaction with what he perceived as poor officiating in the game.“He is not fit enough to officiate in interstate football let alone second-tier matches. One could easily tell that his mind was fixed from the onset. He turned a blind eye to clear fouls and had a total disregard for the rules governing the game. I urge the appointing authority and the federation to seriously look into the issue of officiating as it negates the hard work teams put in training,” Omondi slammed referee Alex Kenyani.The first-leg encounter between the two sides ended in a 2-0 victory for Naivas FC. Today’s match is scheduled to kick off at 3 PM.
