Vihiga United hit-man Amos Kigadi has been named the SportPesa/LG Player of the Month for September-October after playing a key role to help Western Kenya side avoid relegation in the Sportpesa Premier League with a late flurry of goals.
Vihiga, who were making their top-flight debut in the league last season, seemed destined for an immediate drop as the 2018 SPL season hit the home stretch but turned things around in their final six games, winning thrice and losing only once, thanks to Kigadi.
Kigadi shouldered the goal-scoring burden and helped deliver three victories in Vihiga’s final four crunch matches. “My mind was pre-occupied by helping the team avoid relegation and this award comes as a total surprise. I never thought I could be recognised for my efforts so late in the season,” said the 24-year-old player, who trounced Eric Kapaito of Kariobangi Sharks and Timothy Otieno of Tusker FC in the vote to determine the best. For his heroics, he won a 49-inch LG television set and Sh100,000 while his team-mates will share a similar figure. His September campaign started with the solitary winning goal against Posta Rangers and followed it up with the opening strike against league champions Gor Mahia in a game Vihiga won 2-0.
Despite not scoring, Kigadi was a menacing presence as Vihiga rallied from behind to tie a high-flying Kariobangi Sharks 3-3 in the penultimate game of the season.
That result all but confirmed Vihiga’s status in the 2018-19 topflight season but they still had to do the job against Nakumatt in 2018 season ender.
Kigadi scored the opener in a 2-0 win over the then Melis Medo-coached side and ensured that Vihiga, who flattered with relegation for most part of the season, finished 12th in their maiden top tier season, four places clear of trouble. Kigadi, a former Division One side, GFE 105 player, wrapped the season on six goals with each goal crucial to the team’s survival story.