- The two sides are separated by a point in the standings
- The winner will most certainly cement the hold on second spot
- Shabana face Sharks in crucial match
Tusker FC will take on Police FC in a crucial battle for second spot in the FKF Premier League on Saturday at the Police Sacco Stadium. The two sides dropped points in midweek, Tusker playing a to a 2-2 draw with City Stars at the same venue while in Dandora, Police lost for the first time this year after going down by a solitary goal to AFC Leopards.
As they prepare for the epic encounter, Tusker FC defender Eugene Asike has challenged the team to be more clinical infront of goal, to bury chances and close off games early enough.
Asike says this is the biggest lesson the team takes heading into Saturday’s game against Police FC, is the need to take chances.
“We are creating chances, and that is the good thing. It would have been a worry if we were not. Now it is just a matter of being more composed infront of goal,” said the defender, speaking to the club’s official website.
He says that is the biggest lesson learnt from the draw with City Stars in midweek, when the team threw a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 at the Police Sacco Stadium.
“We hope to bounce back against Police. It is not going to be easy because they are a big team with big players but we have to be up for it,” Asike says.
Tusker seek bounce from City Stars draw
Tusker FC players line up before a past match
Looking back to the game against City Stars, Asike says the team feels like it was a defeat despite earning a point.
“It is definitely not a good feeling because we were managing the game really well and we should have buried the game with the clear cut chances we got. In football, if you don’t take your chances, you will be punished but we hope to bounce back against Police,” noted Asike.
He says the team has to be ready to deal with the physical demands of playing three games within a week and has called on his teammates to give their best on Saturday.
The brewers won the first leg played in Machakos by a solitary goal, Fabian Adikiny scoring in the 89th minute. The brewers hope to complete a home and away sweep of the uniformed men.
Meanwhile, Police FC are keen to bounce back from their midweek defeat, and playing at home, are confident of getting maximum points.
Head coach Salim Babu says he expects a tough game.
“It will be really tough because Tusker always is a competitive team. We are well prepared and have put the defeat to AFC behind. We picked a lot of positives from that match because largely, we played really well and only unfortunate to concede,” Babu says.
Tusker dominant in head to head
Tusker’s Ibrahim Joshua in action against Police FC’s Musa Mohamed.
Over the last five meetings, Police has beaten Tusker only once, a 3-0 spanking at the Kasarani Stadium. In the first leg, the brewers won 1-0.
Meanwhile in other matches to be played Saturday, Posta Rangers play Kakamega Homeboyz in the early kick off at the Police Sacco Stadium while in Dandora, Kariobangi Sharks, who are on form, play relegation fighting Shabana FC.
The match will be crucial for Shabana who are seeking to pull off the bottom of the standings. A victory for Shabana against a tough Sharks side takes them to 32 points, 14th in the standings and well clear of the relegation zone.
It will be a tough call against Sharks, who have not lost in their last five matches with three wins and two draws, and have turned the Dandora Stadium into a fortress.
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