Tusker FC coach Charles Okere believes mental resilience will be key for his side as they prepare for their next match following a gut-wrenching 3-2 defeat to Kariobangi Sharks at Dandora Stadium on Saturday.
The Brewers seemed in control at the break, courtesy of goals from Ryan Ogam in the eighth minute and Charles Momanyi’s 29th-minute strike, giving the Ruaraka-based outfit a comfortable 2-0 lead at half-time.
But Sharks mounted a second-half comeback, with Keith Imbali pulling one back before Ali Salim's stunning brace completed the turnaround, handing Tusker a bitter loss.
Okere reckons that shoring up his team's mental fortitude would be crucial to avoid a repeat in their upcoming fixtures.
“We need to build the mental strength of the players. We were leading 2-0 but unfortunately, we conceded goals and lost the match. It’s really unfortunate and we need to work on it before the next game,” Okere remarked.
Reflecting on the game, the tactician explained that his initial game plan was to defend solidly while maintaining an attacking threat.
“We controlled the game in the first half. Since we were playing away, our game plan was to get the goals and defend well and at the same time attack well,” Okere added.
Okere acknowledged that his side struggled to cope with the Sharks' offensive surge, particularly in midfield, which left gaps for the hosts to exploit.
“They added numbers up front and we struggled to neutralise them. The strikers weren’t dropping back enough, allowing them to penetrate our midfield too easily. It’s something we need to fix," he noted.
Despite the setback, Okere remains optimistic and views the defeat as a learning curve for his squad.
“Every game is an opportunity to improve on the areas we did not do well as a team in the previous match. I will not blame any individual for our loss but the whole team because we play as a team,” he noted.
Tusker have a date with Kakamega Homeboyz in their next league assignment on Sunday at the Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos.
