Omala fires warning shot at Rupia after heated Golden Boot race

© Gor Mahia

FKFPL Omala fires warning shot at Rupia after heated Golden Boot race

Kiplagat Sang 13:29 - 27.06.2023

The K'Ogalo star lost the contest only by a goal but is confident ahead of the next campaign.

Gor Mahia striker Benson Omala has congratulated and warned his Football Kenya Federation Premier League Golden Boot rival Elvis Rupia.

Rupia won the coveted award after finishing the season with 27 goals for Kenya Police compared to Omala's 26. For the better part of the season, Omala was destined to win the race, but a relentless push from Rupia saw the former AFC Leopards striker finally emerge as the winner.

The Golden Boot champion was determined on the final day of the league as Rupia, who had scored two goals against Vihiga Bullets in their penultimate match, took his total to 26 goals, overtaking the former Kisumu Day star.

Omala played as a second-half substitute in Gor Mahia's second-last game against Kakamega Homeboyz, and he scored, but the goal was ruled out for offside. After that match day, Rupia overtook Omala as he led the top scorers' chart by a single goal going into the final day.

Both were on the scoresheet on the final day with Omala finding the back of the net in Gor Mahia's 4-1 win over Nairobi City Stars. Rupia scored the second goal as Police were held to a 2-2 draw by KCB.

As Omala hopes to beat Rupia to the award next season, which will tentatively start on August 26, it is not clear whether they will be in the FKF Premier League.

With their top performances, they are expected to attract interest from clubs even outside the country, and should a big-money bid come in, they will possibly consider transfer moves.

For now, they have not been concretely linked with any clubs, but media reports had suggested that South Africa's Orlando Pirates and Tanzania's heavyweights Yanga SC were eyeing Omala.

Such reports have cooled down, and a move to Yanga may now not be impossible given that FIFA slapped the 2023 CAF Confederation finalists with a transfer ban.