Sofapaka FC put to rest doubts about whether the 2009 FKF Premier League champions would drop down to the second tier on Sunday, 14th with a 1-0 dismissal of promotion hopefuls Naivas FC.This victory mirrored the result of the reverse fixture in the promotion/relegation play-off contest.Having edged out the retail outfit in the first leg while playing away, the odds heavily favored Batoto Ba Mungu, for whom a draw would have been enough to secure safety. However, Andrew Kalama took it upon himself to ease the tension with a first-half strike for Coach Ezekiel Akwana’s men.##NAJAVA_MECA_8213877##They held on for dear life, and the introduction of Austine Wahongo in the closing stages of the game was indeed necessary for Sofapaka. The defensive midfielder reveals he had only one job.“Play-off matches are unlike league games and usually anything can happen at any time. Our strikers had done well to get us the goals, and it was now our responsibility to lock the tie away,” he reveals.Wahongo came in for goal scorer Kalama with ten minutes on the clock and helped put the game under lock and key.Finishing 16th in the 18-team league has been Sofapaka’s lowest finish since earning promotion in 2008, and it is one they would like to forget. Previously deemed title contenders in the past decade, Batoto Ba Mungu are a pale shadow of their former top-dog status. Wahongo, who is in his second season at the club, knows that things have to change for the club to regain its former glory.Sichenje signs new deal at AFC Leopards“We did give everything we had, to be honest, and even when we lost, we had mostly played well. My teammates have been relentless in pursuing the goal of staying up, and the technical bench guided us appropriately. Looking back, maybe a few good results in the first leg could have kept us safe early enough,” continues the 21-year-old.Coach Zedekiah Otieno had left the club as soon as the league ended, opting for an assistant’s position at champions Gor Mahia. Akwana, his assistant at Sofapaka, then had the responsibility of steering the team through the play-offs. Despite their league troubles, Sofapaka went all the way to the quarter-finals in the Mozzart Bet Cup, only bowing out to eventual champions Kenya Police FC. They had every right to stay up.Tusker begins pre-season amid coaching uncertaintyWahongo tips his team to rise from their near-obscure state.“There were plenty of changes in the team before the season began, so it really looked like a new outfit altogether. The youth and experience blended well for cohesion, and I’d say we played better towards the very end. If we stay intact, next season will be different,” adds the former Coastal Heroes midfielder.The side, however, found itself in dire straits due to their seemingly never-ending financial woes. With key players already leaving or planning to leave, it remains to be seen if Wahongo’s hopes will come to fruition. Leading forwards Jacob Onyango and Darius Msagha have made it clear they will move on, and with more than a month still left in the transfer window, there’s enough room for player turnover.While Sofapaka retains their premier league status, Muhoroni Youth and Nzoia Sugar head down. Mara Sugar and Mathare United will replace the duo in the top flight.Veteran Super League goalkeeper Omar Ligingo hangs gloves
