Africa-Press – Kenya. Tusker head coach Robert Matano knows too well the career setback that could befall him if he doesn’t deliver silverware this season. The brewers no longer boast the enviable rights of defending champions, having already surrendered the title to bitter rivals Gor Mahia who edged them by a solitary point.
On Saturday, Matano and his charges will hope to hit two birds with a single stone when they dare Kakamega Homeboyz in the FKF Cup finals at Moi Stadium, Kasarani.
To begin with, they are eager to salvage their reputation by obtaining the only silverware left in the country, and secondly, try as hard as they can to secure their ticket to the continental stage.
With that in mind, Matano is not taking any chances and has called on his players to rise from the ashes of their KPL title loss to Gor Mahia and instead train their eyes on the FKF Cup final.
“There is little we can do to change the situation. The KPL title is already gone and we must shift our focus to the upcoming FKF Cup final,” he said. The experienced gaffer lavished praises on his charges for fighting valiantly throughout the season.
“My players deserve a pat on the back for the great character they displayed despite narrowly missing out on the title. It should not be lost on anyone that we managed to wrap up the season in second,” Matano said.
Tusker skipper Humphrey Mieno urged his teammates to stamp authority in their game against Kakamega Homeboyz. “We must give it our best shot considering this is the only other title we now have within reach. Carrying the day will call for great character and a big mentality,” said the evergreen midfielder.
“You do realise how important it is for us to win this match because it will present us with an opportunity to compete in the CAF Confederation Cup next season,” Mieno said. He extolled his teammates for battling tooth and nail until the last day of the season when they narrowly missed out on the title.
“We put our best foot forward and proved our mettle, especially in the final phases of the season. It’s unfortunate that things just didn’t work out according to plan at the end of the day. We live to fight another day,” he added. Saturday’s Cup final will be preceded by the playoffs between Ulinzi Stars and AFC Leopards, each seeking a third-place finish in the campaign.
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