Kakamega Homeboyz head gaffer, Benard Mwalala, says they are determined to halt the dominance of Nairobi-based sides as Kenyan Premier League title holders.
Mwalala made the remarks after his charges overcame a tough challenge to squeeze out a hard-fought 1-0 win over Kariobangi Sharks at Utalii Grounds on Saturday.
David Odhiambo's 55th-minute strike from the spot was enough to fire Homeboyz back to the apex of the log where they have taken command with 28 points, three more than second-placed KCB who play on Sunday.
“For the last fifteen years or so the title has been held by teams from Nairobi, notably Gor Mahia, AFC Leopards and Tusker. We look to break that tradition,” said Mwalala.
“I'm certainly happy that we managed to bounce back from our loss to Talanta two days ago with a win over Kariobangi Sharks today.
Mwalala insists that their sights are still firmly trained on the ultimate prize and suffering their first defeat at the hands of newbies Talanta last Thursday did not dampen their resolve in any way.
“I'm aware that for the better part of the season much of the talk had revolved around our unbeaten status. However, our main focus has always been to lay claim to our maiden top-flight title,” said Mwalala.
“We sat down with the management and they made it quite clear that they want the top-flight silverware in the cabinet at the end of the season.
“Our impressive performance has been a result of the mental strength and the winning mentality the players have developed,” said Mwalala.
As Mwalala revelled in chest-thumping, his opposite number William Muluya rued the absence of his injured luminaries, saying they were greatly missed in the match.
“We have eight players sitting out with injuries and their absence impacted negatively on our performance,” said Muluya.
“Most of the players we fielded today have not been featuring in our previous encounters. A good number are from the academy side. That notwithstanding, they rose to the occasion despite their inexperience,” he added.
“We hope to make the necessary corrections before our next match against AFC Leopards. My squad selection will always be based on how well a player performs at training,” said Malaya.
Meanwhile, Muluya has sent a passionate plea to local match officials to be fair when handling matches.
“I wouldn't want to dwell so much on officiating because my utterances are bound to rub people the wrong way given I am a Kariobangi Sharks coach.
“However, it's only important for the referees to take time to reflect on their performance after every game. They ought to ask themselves if they did some justice to the game.
“For example, the reality is today's match ought to have ended in a barren draw,” said Malaya.
The loss leaves Sharks fifth on the log with 21 points.
