Brian Olang joins Tusker as cover for injured keeper John Otieno

Olang has been invited following a knee injury suffered by young goalkeeper John Mark Otieno during training.

The youngster, promoted to the senior team from Tusker Youth FC in the summer, is scheduled to undergo surgery in the coming days and is expected to spend a considerable period on the sidelines.

The injury has left Tusker short of goalkeeping options, with Brian Bwire and Perrauld Ndinga away on international duty with Kenya and Congo Brazzaville respectively, leaving Brandon Obiero as the available senior goalkeeper.

“With Perrauld and Bwire out with their national teams and JohnMark out injured, the team has invited former Kariobangi Sharks and KCB keeper Brian Olang to train with the team and support Brandon during the international break,” the club said in a statement.

Olang stint is temporary and aims to provide additional cover during the international window rather than securing a permanent move to the Brewers.

The invitation also reunites Olang with several former Kariobangi Sharks teammates.

The goalkeeper joined Sharks from KCB in September 2020 and spent two seasons at the club, making six appearances in all competitions, before leaving in June 2022 to pursue trials with Egyptian top-flight sides, including Wadi Degla, before subsequently returning to KCB.

During his time at Sharks, Olang was part of a goalkeeping group that included Bwire, Obiero and Otieno.

Bwire had joined Sharks in 2018 and established himself as the club’s first-choice goalkeeper before moving to Tusker in 2021. Obiero joined Sharks from Coast Stima ahead of the 2020/21 season and initially served as Bwire’s deputy, while Otieno arrived from Kisumu Hotstars ahead of the 2021/22 campaign, to deputise the duo.

Olang’s return to the top-flight environment now brings the four former Sharks goalkeepers together again at Tusker, albeit in different circumstances.

With Bwire and Ndinga on international duty and Otieno facing a lengthy layoff, Olang will provide an experienced training option and help support Obiero as the Brewers navigate the international break.

For Olang the invitation offers an opportunity to remain active at a competitive level and train alongside familiar faces, while Tusker will be hoping Otieno’s surgery is successful as the young goalkeeper begins rehabilitation.

As the Kenyan Premier League continues to wait for the stalemate over the new season kick-off to be resolved, Tusker are stepping up their preparations for the new campaign, a few days ago, The Brewers held a friendly match against Murang’a SEAL, securing a 1-0 victory.

Before facing SEAL, Tusker defeated defending champions Gor Mahia 3-2 in a closed-door friendly, with Victor Mbaoma scoring a brace and Eric Kapaito adding the other goal.

After beating Sudan’s Al-Ahli Wad Madani 3-2 on aggregate in the first preliminary round of the CAF Confederation Cup, Tusker will face Tanzania’s Singida Black Stars in the second preliminary round.

The first leg will be played in Nairobi on the weekend of October 16–18, with the return leg scheduled to take place in Tanzania.