Flat Tusker out to halt winless run
By CELLESTINE OLILOWith the Kenyan Premier League title now well out of their reach, ten-time champions Tusker FC will face Ushuru on Friday evening at the Nyayo National Stadium.
The brewers will be hoping to exact revenge on the taxmen who upset them 1-0 in the reverse fixture five months ago.
Tusker also suffered a disappointing 1-0 loss to lowly Nairobi City Stars last Friday, a result that stretched their winless run to four matches. The result also locked them out of the running for this year’s league title.
Kenyan international goalkeeper Duncan Ochieng was guilty of pedantically handling the ball outside his area in the process getting himself sent off.
However, coach Francis Kimanzi has refused to be drawn into the debate about his team’s poor form.
“I don’t want to dwell too much on whether or not we are in the race. I don’t think it is time to talk about that yet,” Kimanzi told Daily Nation Sport on Thursday.
TEAM’S MOTIVATION
In Kimanzi’s star studded team, no one looks fresher than captain Jesse Were, who was voted KPL’s best player for the month of July by the Sports Journalists Association of Kenya (SJAK).
Were scored three hat tricks last month, and this will be his first match since returning from South Africa where he underwent trials with PSL side Bidvest Wits.
“Were is a good player and his presence is a motivation even to me as a coach. He has the experience and I know that his return will encourage the rest of the team to perform well tomorrow (Friday),” Kimanzi said.
Tusker will come up against an Ushuru side that has also defeated former champions AFC Leopards and Sony Sugar this season and they are currently placed eighth on the log.
Ugandan striker Allan Kateregga, an instinctive goal poached and finisher, has established himself as the team’s most lethal component, although he does with considerable help from dead ball specialist Moses Arita.
This match will precede another league match pitting Nairobi City Stars against Western Stima. This fixture bears great significance for City Stars because a win will enable them move out of the relegation zone and swap places with KCB.
KPL Fixture – Friday:
Ushuru vs Tusker (Nyayo – 5pm)
City Stars vs Western Stima (Nyayo – 7.15pm)