Tusker FC head coach Charles Okere has challenged his charges to be more ruthless in the final third as they prepare for a top-of the-table showdown against Kenya Police at the Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos, on Saturday.
The brewers are level on points with Police at the summit of the FKF Premier League table with both on 37 points though Police boast a superior goal difference.
Okere pinpointed last weekend’s goalless draw against KCB in Machakos as a prime example of their attacking inefficiencies, urging his forwards to step up.
“We need to create more scoring opportunities to convert them into goals. That’s an area we must improve because, at the end of the day, goals win matches,” Okere emphasized.
“We can only score when we fashion clear-cut chances in the opponent’s half and that’s what we need to be more efficient at,” he added.
The Tusker boss acknowledged that the January transfer window has made the league more competitive, with teams reinforcing their squads.
“Of course, clubs have made new signings and that makes every opponent tougher. That’s why we must sharpen our attack,” Okere noted.
Tusker will need to be at their best against a high-flying Kenya Police side, who are unbeaten in their last 11 league outings.
The law enforcers’ last defeat came on December 1, when AFC Leopards edged them 1-0 courtesy of Kennedy Owino’s 75th-minute strike.
Last weekend, Police were held to a 1-1 draw by Sofapaka in Machakos, where Sofapaka’s Donato Okello opened the score sheet for Batoto Ba Mungu before Brian Okoth netted late in the match to share the spoils.
Despite the Police’s strong form, recent head-to-head stats lean in Tusker’s favour. The Brewers claimed identical 1-0 wins in both league meetings last season.
Fabian Adikiny’s late strike secured the first-leg victory, while skipper Charles Momanyi was the match-winner in the return fixture.
Reflecting on their draw against KCB, Okere found encouragement in his side’s defensive solidity. “A point is always valuable in any competition.
Keeping a clean sheet is a big confidence boost for the team,” he remarked. However, he admitted that his side lacked cutting edge in attack.
“Our buildup play in the first half wasn’t sharp enough in the final third. That’s something we need to rectify ahead of the next match,” he added.
Okere heaped praise on Alex Onchwari, who made his debut last weekend after a seven-month wait since joining the club.
“Congratulations to Onchwari and
the entire team. We attacked and
defended together and he followed
instructions well. He enjoyed the
game and played with confidence.
Now, we just need to encourage him
to keep pushing,” Okere said.
