New Sofapaka head coach Divaldo Alves shares a word on the bench with his assistant John Baraza during their league match against Posta Rangers in Narok on August 30, 2019. PHOTO/Sofapaka
NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 14 – After opening day losses, former champions Tusker and Sofapaka will look to bounce back to winning ways when the Kenyan Premier League returns for match week two following the international break.
Tusker, 11-time KPL champions started the season in a disastrous way, losing 5-2 to holders Gor Mahia in Kisumu and will be keen to erase that terrible start when they face Mathare in what is expected to be a tight encounter in Machakos.
Head coach Robert Matano blamed the crushing Gor loss to defensive mistakes and has worked on the same over the last two weeks.
Ties between these two sides have always been tight and hard to call, but Tusker have a slight edge having won seven of their last 22 meetings and losing six with the remaining games ending in draws.
Mathare under new coach Salim Ali started the season with a barren draw at home against Bandari and look to chalk their first three points of the season.
Meanwhile, Sofapaka who finished third last season started their campaign with a 2-1 defeat at home against Posta Rangers and face soldiers Ulinzi Stars in Nakuru, the military men walking in for their first home game of the season fresh off a winning start with a 2-0 victory away to Kisumu All Stars.
Sofapaka’s new Portuguese head coach Divaldo Alves hopes that his players will make a positive response after the first day loss and knows it will not be an easy outing against the soldiers.
“I know they are a very tough team with a military fighting spirit. They love to run and contest every ball and we have to go there and battle to win. We have to fight for us to get a win,” the tactician said.
He added; “We had a problem of finishing in our first game and that is one of the things we have worked on. Hopefully we will improve. I have trust in my players and believe we can get the maximum points,” Alves further added.
KPL match week two fixtures:
Saturday: Tusker FC v Mathare United, Posta Rangers v Kakamega Homeboyz (Machakos), Nzoia v Sony (Sudi, Bungoma), Ulinzi v Sofapaka (Nakuru), Western Stima v Wazito (Kisumu).
Sunday: AFC Leopards v Kariobangi Sharks (Kasarani), KCB v Kisumu All Stars (Machakos)
