Ulinzi currently occupy second spot on the log with 47 points, sitting just two behind the table-topping Bullets.

Ulinzi Starlets head coach Collins Oduor is keen on closing the two point gap by defending champions Kenya Police Bullets as the Women’s Premier League title race heads into the decisive leg.

Ulinzi currently occupy second spot on the log with 47 points, sitting just two behind the table-topping Bullets, who lead the standings on 49 after 19 matches in what is shaping up to be a gripping run-in.

Oduor, calm yet resolute on the touchline, believes his charges are laying the groundwork on the training pitch to mount a sustained title push.

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“We are two points behind Police at the moment,” he noted.

“The players are putting in the work and showing tremendous effort as well as discipline.”

With just three matches left, Oduor's confidence stems from their most recent League fixture where they dispatched four-time champions Vihiga Queens 3-1 on April 4.

For all their consistency, Ulinzi are still chasing that elusive league crown, having developed an unwanted habit of finishing as runner up in recent seasons, including the 2024/25 campaign.

In contrast Bullets have turned dominance into silverware, storming to back-to-back titles in 2023/24 and 2024/25 to cement their status as the team to beat.

While the league title has remained out of reach, Ulinzi have carved out a reputation as cup specialists having ruled the FKF Women’s Cup, lifting the trophy three times in a row (2021, 2023, 2024).

Oduor was quick to shine a light on the spine of his squad, many of whom have emerged through the Safaricom Chapa Dimba initiative, a pipeline he believes is crucial to the growth of the women’s game.

“We have six players from the Chapa Dimba initiative, from season one all the way to four. It is a good initiative in nurturing grassroots talent,” he said.

“We have some top names in the club — the likes of Lorine Ilavonga, Mercy Airo, Velma Auma, Margaret Odiro and Judith Osimbo.”

The tactician underlined the need for strong development structures, stressing that sustained success in women’s football hinges on investment at the grassroots level.

“In women’s football, you have to start by nurturing them from the bottom, especially the kids from school,” he explained.

“We have to get it right from there so that they can advance all the way to the national level.”

One of those success stories is Judith, a product of the Chapa Dimba system, who echoed her coach’s sentiments on the programme’s impact within the squad.

“Airo was the top scorer in Season One of the Chapa Dimba. It is an initiative that has nurtured us.”