Africa-Press – Kenya. Kenya Police FC winger Erick Zakayo has shifted the club’s attention firmly to the Mozzart Bet Cup, describing it as their most realistic and immediate pathway back to continental football after a league campaign that has gradually drifted away from early-season ambition.
The law enforcers are set to face Sportpesa Premier League rivals Shabana FC on May 2 in a quarter-final clash that has quickly grown into one of the defining fixtures of their season.
Speaking ahead of the tie, Zakayo did not hide the reality of their situation, choosing blunt honesty over optimism.
“We are not where we expected to be in the league,” Zakayo said. “That’s the honest position. The Cup now becomes something we have to treat with full seriousness because it gives a direct outcome.”
Police have struggled to turn dominance into wins in the league, with a string of draws slowing their momentum in the title race. Zakayo admits the pattern has been frustrating and costly.
“We’ve had games where we managed phases well but didn’t finish them,” he said. “At this level, that’s the difference — not dominance, but what you do with it.”
For the winger, the problem has not been chance creation but efficiency in decisive moments, an issue he believes must be corrected immediately if they are to survive knockout pressure.
“It’s not about creating 10 chances,” he said. “It’s about recognising the one or two moments that matter and executing properly.”
Shabana, who have built a reputation for structured defending and aggressive pressing, present a different kind of challenge altogether, one Zakayo is fully aware of.
“They press with intent, and they don’t break shape easily,” he said. “If you are slow in your passing or loose with your positioning, they take advantage quickly.”
He further warned that transition moments could decide the match, especially in areas where concentration lapses are punished without hesitation
“We have to be cleaner when we move the ball forward,” he said. “If you lose it in the wrong areas, you spend the next phase defending under pressure.”
Despite the pressure attached to the fixture, Zakayo insists there is no panic within the squad, only responsibility and awareness of what is at stake.
“There is no panic,” he said. “There is awareness. We understand what the game requires and what we have to correct.”
“We’ve been in this situation before. The difference now is how quickly we apply those lessons.”
For him, knockout football strips everything down to execution and mentality, where reputation and possession count for little without results.
“These are not games for flair alone,” he said. “They are games for discipline and correct choices.”
“You have to read situations properly — when to keep the ball, when to go forward, when to slow the game.”
Zakayo believes those small margins, often overlooked in league campaigns, become decisive in cup football where one mistake can end everything.
“These are the matches that define your season,” he said. “You either progress or you don’t — and that depends on how well you execute on the day.”
Only after Zakayo’s full reflection does head coach Nicholas Muyoti step into the frame, reinforcing the same message from the technical area but with a sharper tactical lens.
“The cup demands clarity,” Muyoti said. “You don’t have recovery time. What you do in those 90 minutes decides everything.”
He admitted that recent league performances have exposed gaps that must be corrected urgently, particularly in decision-making and end-product.
“We’ve reviewed our matches honestly,” he said. “There are moments where we’ve been organised but not decisive enough.”
On Shabana, Muyoti offered respect and caution, highlighting their discipline and patience without the ball.
“They are structured and patient,” he said. “They wait for mistakes rather than forcing the game, so we must avoid giving them those openings.”
He stressed that responsibility on match day will not rest solely on tactical instructions, but on players’ ability to read and react in real time.
“Decisions on the pitch will be key,” he said. “You cannot rely on instructions from the touchline for every situation.”
Muyoti also warned against losing shape during high-pressure phases, where knockout matches are often decided.
“In knockout matches, you will have moments where the opponent pushes,” he said. “If you lose organisation in those moments, the game can turn quickly.”
He insisted that balance remains essential, even as the team leans on its defensive strengths.
“You cannot depend on defending alone,” he said. “You have to carry a threat, otherwise you invite pressure.”
Zakayo, who has played a growing role in the team’s attacking output, believes the responsibility must be collective rather than individual.
“It’s not about one player stepping up,” he said. “It’s about the team functioning properly in each phase.”
“If we get the structure right, the chances will come. Then it’s about taking them.”
Born and raised in Mwingi West, Zakayo’s journey began in informal football settings before he progressed through Mwingi Junior Stars Academy. His development accelerated at Tusker FC Youth Team, earning him promotion to the senior side, where he went on to win the FKF Premier League title in the 2020/21 season.
He joined Kenya Police FC in July 2024 as a free agent, quickly becoming a key figure in their attacking system and contributing to their 2024/25 league title-winning campaign.
At international level, he made his senior debut for Harambee Stars in 2021, adding national team experience to a steadily rising career built on discipline, adaptation and consistency at the top level.
