Ulinzi Starlets keen to keep second spot as KWPL enters homestretch

Ulinzi Starlets tactician Collins Ochieng has expressed satisfaction with the second place they are holding in the Kenya Women Premier League (FKF WPL) table, saying it was their target from the start of the season to finish among the top two teams.

The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) on Monday awarded Ulinzi Starlets FC three points after they protested over Zetech Sparks FC’s fielding of an ineligible player before their FKF Women’s Premier League (FKF-WPL) match on March 8, 2025, at the Ruaraka Grounds.

The ruling comes after Ulinzi Starlets lodged a protest concerning the participation of Bertha Omita, a player whose transfer to Zetech Sparks had not been finalized before the match.

The FKF Leagues and Competitions Committee says it reviewed the protest, along with reports from Zetech Sparks and the match officials, and concluded that the player was ineligible to participate.

The committee also noted that Zetech Sparks failed to present Omita’s FKF license for verification before the match, which is a requirement under FKF regulations.

The three points awarded to Ulinzi Starlets lift the soldiers to second place on the log with 41 points from 20 matches, narrowing the gap to league leaders Kenya Police Bullets FC to just two points, with one round of matches to go.

This leaves the title race wide open in the final stretch of the season.

“It was a good decision from the FKF Leagues and Competition because Zetech knew that was wrong.

“We are now two points shy of Police, and that means we need to beat Kisumu All Starlets and pray for Police to fall against Trinity for us to clinch the title.

“Since the start of the season, our target was to finish among the top two teams, and we have already achieved that.

“We want to finish the season in style by winning our last match against Kisumu, but our concentration for now has shifted to the FKF cup and not winning the league.”

Kenya Police Bullets leads the log with 43 points, two shy of Ulinzi, as Kibera Soccer Women FC, Vihiga Queens, and Zetech Sparks occupy third to fifth positions with 38,38, and 30 points in that order.

Ochieng, however, said they will respect Kisumu All Starlets but will strive to win, urging fans to come out in large numbers to support them.

“We will give Kisumu All Starlets the respect they deserve when we meet them on the weekend of May 24, and I’m calling upon our supporters to come in large numbers to support the girls to win the match.

“Football is a game of peace, and we can’t pray for police to fall; we shall accept the outcome in the last round because we have already achieved our goal.”

The FKF WPL takes a break to usher in the FKF cup round of 16 matches over the weekend, and it will culminate over the weekend of May 24.