NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 13 – Kenya Police FC coach Anthony Kimani says they hope to exploit Zamalek SC’s weaknesses, as they face the Egyptian giants on Saturday in the first leg of their CAF Confederation Cup second preliminary round duel.
First-timers Police face the defending champions in Nairobi, hoping to pick a big result that could put them at an advantage to pull a surprise when they play the return fixture in Cairo next weekend.
“Zamalek is a good team and we are well aware of the kind of team that we are playing against. They have their strong qualities, they have a good history in this competition but we also know they have a few weak points and we are looking to exploit those weak points to give us a good advantage in the first leg,” Kimani said ahead of the match.
Police progressed to the second preliminary round on their first time of asking after edging out Ethiopia Coffee 1-0 on aggregate. Kimani is optimistic that they have already wiped off their debut jitters and are ready to give a good account in their second match.
“We have had two weeks to train since the last game and we have prepared really well. We have addressed the shortcomings we saw especially offensively and I believe everyone is now focused and positively looking towards that match,” the coach said.
He added; “Looking at the players, they are raring to go and get a good result at home.”
Police have been boosted with the arrival of striker Jesse Were who has returned home after a nine-year stint in Zambia, and Kimani believes that his experience can be vital for them when they face the White Knights.
“Jesse has the experience because he has played at the highest level of these competitions and he knows what it takes. His presence in the team is a big boost,” said the tactician.
Zamalek are back in the country for the first time since 2021, when they beat Tusker FC 1-0 at the Nyayo Stadium in the CAF Champions League. Prior to that, they were in Kenya in 2019, where they were beaten 4-2 by Gor Mahia at the Kasarani Stadium.
