KCB head coach Samuel ‘Koko’ Okoth has urged his charges to dig deep and end the season on a high when they face AFC Leopards in their final FKF Premier League clash on Sunday.
The bankers, currently in position nine on the log with 41 points, joint with 10th-placed Mathare United, will be keen to salvage their pride after a disappointing run-in to the campaign.
Their latest setback came at St. Sebastian Park, where they slumped to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of 16th-placed Nairobi City Stars.
Benjamin Murimi fired City Stars into the lead in the 40th minute, giving the visitors the lead heading into the interval.
Vincent Ondadu levelled matters 15 minutes later before John Mwangi netted the winning goal to give City Stars all three points in the 66th minute.
Despite the result, Okoth remains optimistic that his side can turn the tide when they take on an in-form Ingwe outfit. "We had a few individual mistakes which we are hoping to work on in the week."
"If we can iron out some of the weak points, I am sure we will get good results in our next match," Okoth said. Reflecting on the City Stars' loss, the tactician admitted the outcome was far from what they had envisioned.
"We did not expect to lose the match. We had a good display of football in the match," he noted. Okoth cited a loss of concentration, which he attributes to the team's loss. "In football, concentration is key. Any time you lose concentration on the pitch, you get picked apart," he noted.
He further pointed to their vulnerability on set pieces as a key concern ahead of the weekend fixture. "We conceded a goal from a set piece, which could easily have been avoided. It's something we need to work on," he added.
KCB head into Sunday’s tie on a dismal nine-game winless run. Their last taste of victory came on March 15 in a narrow 2-1 win over Ulinzi Stars.
Since then, they have settled for draws against Kakamega Homeboyz (2-2) and Mara Sugar (1-1), while suffering narrow 1-0 defeats to Gor Mahia, FC Talanta, Shabana, Kariobangi Sharks, and Bidco United. They also fell 2-1 to league champions Kenya Police and City Stars.
The reverse fixture against Leopards ended in a bruising 4-2 defeat, and Okoth will be eager to see his side settle the score.
Meanwhile, AFC Leopards, sitting sixth on the table, head into the tie brimming with confidence following their 3-1 victory over FC Talanta last Sunday.
