Eric Kapaito celebrates after scoring against Kakamega Homeboyz/ HANDOUTCoach Charles Okere has underlined Tusker’s readiness and ambition ahead of the 2025/26 Sportpesa League, hoping to launch a serious title challenge.
The brewers finished fourth last season with 57 points — just eight behind champions Kenya Police.
“Our pre-season has been very positive. We’ve had high-profile test matches and used the time to build cohesion and fine-tune tactics. I believe we are well-prepared and looking forward to a positive season,” said Okere.
Tusker begin their campaign on Friday evening against a tricky KCB side at Nyayo Stadium, with the match scheduled for a 6 pm kick-off. The fixture brings added intrigue after last season’s tightly contested encounters between the two sides.
KCB claimed a dramatic 3-2 win in the first leg, with a brace from Francis Kahiro and a James Kinyanjui strike cancelling out a double from Tusker’s Ryan Ogam. The reverse fixture ended in a goalless draw.
Tusker head into this season’s opener on the back of a productive pre-season camp in Kisumu, where they played three friendly matches — defeating APS Bomet 1-0, drawing 1-1 with TBM Health, and rounding off with a 2-0 victory over Kakamega Homeboyz. Eric Kapaito and Cliff Oruko were on the scoresheet against the Boyz.
“Getting two goals and keeping a clean sheet against a strong side like Homeboyz was exactly what we needed. It’s a good momentum boost heading into the first league game,” Okere said.
The seven-week pre-season period allowed the technical bench to assess new signings and integrate them into the team’s playing philosophy.
“It has not been easy — scouting, training, and building tactical understanding — but we’ve made good progress. We gave the new players more minutes in friendlies so they could adapt to the pressure and learn how we play,” Okere explained.
Despite staying within striking distance of the top for most of last season, Tusker’s campaign faded in the final stretch. This year, Okere believes the club has addressed key weaknesses and built the depth required for a consistent title run.
“We’ve corrected the mistakes that cost us last season. Now it’s about starting strong and maintaining focus throughout,” he concluded.
