Nairobi Stima Captain Joseph Shikokoti has identified solid defending as their strength ahead of their first leg of the KPL/FKF promotion/relegation playoff set for this weekend at Karuturi grounds.
Stima, who finished third in the National Super League, will be seeking to gain promotion to the Kenyan Premier League when they host Posta Rangers and the centre half has highlighted a rock-solid defence as their weapon in countering the mailmen who finished third from bottom in the top flight.
The second leg will be played on June 19th at Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos.
Stima were on the verge of gaining automatic promotion but had their inferior goal difference to rue as they finished with a similar tally to that of league runners up Kisumu All-Stars who had a healthier goal difference.
The former Kenyan international feels that his side would have finished at the apex of the log were it not for the six points handed to Wazito and three given to All-Stars after their opponents fielded ineligible players at some point in the league.
Wazito were crowned champions after garnering 81 points while All-Stars Kisumu and Stima gathered 80 points respectively. Stima lost twice in the 38 league matches played in the recently concluded second-tier season.
Ahead of the first leg, Shikokoti has exuded the confidence of gracing top-flight football next season by rectifying the costly errors made in the league matches and taking chances.
“We want to make it to the Kenyan Premier League after narrowly missing it in the league.
"A solid defence is all that we need to electrocute Rangers as we are good as far as scoring is concerned.
"We look forward to conceding less and make good use of our scoring chances.
"The team is currently working on the mistakes committed during the league during our training sessions and we are psyched up for the match.
"Personally, I feel we would have won the league were it not for the six points and three awarded to Wazito and All-Stars after their opponents fielded ineligible players at some point," he said.
