Harambee Stars First Coach Stanley Okumbi (right) with one of his assistant John Kamau (left) in Spain.Photo/COURTESY
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 21- Harambee Stars First Coach Stanley Okumbi is looking on for a better performance from the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) All-Star team when they play Spanish Segunda Division side Sevillla Atletico at the Estadio José Burgos Quintana in Malaga on Saturday.
The All-Star team was handed a 4-0 beating in their first friendly match against another Segunda Division side Cordoba CF on Wednesday night and Okumbi hopes his squad has learnt from that woeful performance.
“We conceded very soft goals especially in the second half; our defense was not working as it should. We gave away two very easy goals and two penalties but I hope we have learnt from that,” Okumbi said.
The coach challenged his side to get used to play and pass faster, saying that was the biggest difference between them and the Spanish side on Wednesday.
“We weren’t as sharp on the ball. The passing and speed of movement is something that we should have worked on in the second half and when we failed to do that, we ended up conceding,” Okumbi said.
KPL All Stars team in action in Spain.Photo/COURTESY
“These are some of the lessons we take. The movement and speed is quite high here and not like what we are used to back at home. It is not something that we can get right immediately but hopefully we can get it,” the coach added.
Seville Atletico is the reserve team of La Liga side Sevilla CF and feature Cameroonian national team keeper Fabrice Ondoa. Last season, they finished 13th in the Segunda Division, the second tier of Spanish football.
Okumbi’s target heading into the Saturday night fixture will be to ensure the team keeps a clean sheet.
The entire squad, with the exception of Ugandan goalkeeper Mathias Kigonya is seen as a pillar of coach Okumbi’s team for the African nations Championship (CHAN) which will be held in Kenya in 2018.
The tactician says the two friendly matches in Spain, courtesy of the KPL’s partnership with La Liga will help his side improve as they seek to make an imprint in the tournament which they will feature in for the first time ever.
