Kenyan representatives in the Caf Confederations Cup Bandari will step up their preparations for their play-off against Horoya AC when they take Tanzania's Coastal Union today.
Bandari have punched above their weights in the continental tournament thus far but their mettle will be severely tested by the Guinean giants who made it to the quarter-finals of the Champions League last season.
The dockers made good use of the Fifa international week to warm up for the first leg of the play-off slated for October 27 in Conakry by playing two test matches in Tanzania.
The return match is expected to be held at the Moi Stadium, Kasarani in November. Bandari lost their first friendly by a solitary goal to Tanzanian champions Simba over the weekend in a match played at the 60, 000-seater capacity National Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
Former Yanga captain Ibrahim Ajibu's 70th minute goal saw Simba avenge their last meeting 2-1 loss to Bandari. The latter won the match played at the same venue in January to proceed to the finals of the then SportPesa Cup at the expense of the home side.
Today, the Shield Cup holders will seek to make amends to the last weekend's loss when they take on the Tanga-based club who are placed 15th in the Tanzanian Premier League.
Besides using the match to prepare for the Caf match, Bandari who are without their winger Abdallah Hassan who was left behind for the Harambee Stars friendly match against Mozambique will also gear up for their next weekend league against a win-less Chemelil Sugar at home. Bandari sit eighth with eight points from five rounds.
The Bernard Mwalala-coached side had edged out Tunisia's US Ben Guerdane 3-2 on aggregate in the first round which was preceded by a triumph over Sudan's Al Ahly Shendi in the preliminary round.
Should the club eliminate Horoya who dropped from the Champions League after losing 5-3 to Algeria's JS Kabylie in the first round, they will make it to the group stages of the tournament.
