Bandari or Ulinzi? Who will bounce back from cup exit better?

Four-time champions Ulinzi Stars are in Mombasa to face off with Bandari, both teams coming to this game on the back of cup defeats and subsequent elimination by Nairobi City Stars and Equity FC in the Round of 16 and in the quarterfinal respectively.

Ulinzi will be seeking to avenge the happenings of the first leg where they were beaten square at home with goals from Keegan Zakayo and Darius Mnyambo, their first-ever defeat at home, and Bandari's first-ever win on the road for the season.

Following the humiliating defeat to Equity FC in the Cup, Bandari will want to trounce over Ulinzi Stars for a consolation now that all their focus is on the league according to their Andre Casa Mbungo.

"We are going to prepare for our next league match. We play Ulinzi at home on 16th June and we have to be ready for the game and subsequent ones because the schedule is tight and we don't have time to waste, we have to prepare so that we perform well in the league," the former AFC Leopards coach said.

For the past seven years, the clash pitting Bandari FC and Ulinzi Stars has been a fairly balanced one, with six of their 14 league encounters since 2014 ending in draws. From the 14, Ulinzi have picked five wins while Bandari have picked just three.

Neither Bandari nor Ulinzi have players on suspension though Ulinzi have two on the verge of being suspended should they be booked in this encounter which will see them accumulate five yellow cards. John Kago and Benard Ongoma are on four yellow cards each.

Currently, Bandari sit sixth on the log with 28 points while Uinzi Stars are two places below them with 24 points with both teams having played 18 matches.

A win for Bandari will see them go level on points with Kariobangi Sharks at least for 24 hours while a win for Ulinzi Stars will see them leapfrog Kakamega Homeboyz to seventh on the log with 27 points. Homeboyz do not have a game in round 20.

Bandari are on a five-streak winless run, with their last win in the league this season coincidentally coming in the 2-0 win against Ulinzi Stars at Kericho in February, a month in which Bandari had a 100 percent record winning all their five games.

Their back-to-back wins in February, scoring ten goals and conceding only one in the process, saw Bandari's tactician named the Coach of the Month.

Ulinzi have the best defensive record in the league, having conceded only 10 goals in the 18 matches they have played. Bandari on the other hand have conceded 20, the most by all the top 11 teams same as Kakamega Homeboyz and Kariobangi Sharks.

Despite the impressive defensive record, the Soldiers have misfired in the other end of the field, scoring a paltry 13 goals, same as Posta Rangers and Mathare United who are languishing in the relegation zone. Only Vihiga United have scored fewer with six.

However, since the resumption of the league in May, Ulinzi Stars seem to have regained their scoring touch with the emergence of Clinton Omondi as the goal scorer for them, and will be hoping he picks up from where he left against Bandari. Omondi scored the second goal in the win against Kariobangi Sharks and the solo goal in the win against Nzoia United.

William Wadri, with seven goals, understands that he is among the chasing pack and will want to inch closer with a goal but at the same time Ulinzi's James Saruni knows that he is in control of the golden glove race with 10 clean sheets and an 11th one will be a good addition to his tally.

Ahead of the clash against the Dockers, Ulinzi have been given a shot in the arm with the timely return of Boniface Andayi and Bonaventure Muchika who were both injured and Benjamin Nyangweso is happy to have them ready for selection.

“Andayi is back in training in training and he should be available for our coming assignments. This is definitely a big boost for us because he is an important player for the team. Muchika returning is a big boost for us because he is our first choice central defender. He was doing well before the injury setback and his return is a boost for us because it gives us good options," he told Mozzart Sport.

The match kicks off at 3 PM EAT.