Tusker eye Confed Cup group stage as Singida test looms

The Brewers host Singida in the first leg at Nairobi’s Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday, hoping to secure a convincing home win before the return leg in Tanzania a week later.

Tusker head into the clash on the back of an encouraging start to their domestic campaign, having beaten Ulinzi Stars 2-0 at the Ulinzi Sports Complex in their Kenyan Premier League opener on Sunday.

Speaking after Wednesday evening’s training session, head coach Julien Mette said reaching the group stage was the club’s primary objective. He added that a commanding home victory would put his side in a strong position ahead of the return leg.

“Our target from the beginning was to reach the group stage. Once we get there, it becomes a different tournament because, with good performances, you can target the quarter-finals,” Mette said.

The Frenchman acknowledged the strength of other African leagues but insisted Tusker could compete with the continent’s best, citing Nairobi United’s elimination of Tunisian giants Étoile du Sahel as proof.

“Our league is not at the same level as those in South Africa, Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia or Morocco, but Nairobi United showed us that it’s possible. They eliminated Étoile du Sahel, yet the Tunisian league is stronger than ours. Singida are a tough side, but we will fight to the end,” he said.

Mette stressed that a first-leg victory would boost his players’ confidence ahead of the return fixture, while warning them against complacency.

“When you lose, you consider yourself a loser, but winning gives you relief and motivates you to do better. You put in more effort to keep getting positive results.

“We don’t want to be casual on Sunday. We want a big win at home, then to finish the job away. Even if we win, I will ensure the players do not relax ahead of the return leg,” he said.

However, Tusker could be without several key players because of injuries and fatigue following an extended period of international duty.

Captain Abud Omar and Crispine Erambo missed Sunday’s league opener after returning from national-team assignments. The pair travelled with Harambee Stars to Guinea for an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier before heading to Rwanda for an international friendly. They returned to Kenya in the middle of last week.

Mette remains hopeful that both players will be cleared to feature against Singida after a final assessment on Thursday evening.

“Abud’s rest was a precaution, especially after he was injured in August. He went straight to the national team, where he played three matches and became fatigued. That is why I decided to rest him.

“Crispine was also fatigued, so I gave him a rest with Sunday’s match in mind. I want both players fresh for the game against Singida,” Mette said.

Assistant captain Thomas Teka Omenda and Hassan Warsama also missed the weekend fixture as they continue to recover from injuries.

Mette, meanwhile, says he will continue rotating his squad, insisting that competition for places is essential to maintaining high standards throughout the campaign.

“My philosophy is to ensure all my players are of the same quality, so that when one player is unavailable in a particular position, the replacement can deliver the same level of performance.

“My principle is that if you want to avoid rotation, you have to give your best. I am impressed with the quality of the squad, and we have seen that in our recent competitive and friendly matches,” he said.

Tusker advanced to the second preliminary round after edging Sudanese side Al-Ahli Wad Medani 3-2 on aggregate.

Singida, meanwhile, booked their place with a commanding 10-1 aggregate victory over South Sudan’s El-Ghazala. They won the away leg 7-1 before completing the rout with a 3-0 home victory.

The Brewers will also draw inspiration from their rich continental history. Competing as Kenya Breweries FC, they reached the African Cup Winners’ Cup final in 1994 and the semi-finals of the African Cup of Champions Clubs in 1973.

Now, Mette’s side will be aiming to take another step towards continental success by securing a first-leg advantage against Singida on Sunday.