Bandari head coach Anthony Kimani says he expects a titanic battle against leaders Kakamega Homeboyz at Mbaraki Sports Club, Mombasa on Sunday.
Bandari are eighth on the Kenyan Premier League log with 31 points, 15 adrift of Homeboyz who are leaving nothing to chance in search of their maiden top-flight title.
That notwithstanding, Kimani says the fixture isn't giving him any sleepless nights.
“There is no question about the quality at Kakamega Homeboyz and we expect them to pose a tough challenge on Sunday. However, we have prepared well and they won't find it any easier either,” said Kimani.
“We have been struggling in our recent matches and I'm glad we have begun finding our footing in the competition once again,” said Kimani.
The youthful tactician has turned around the fortunes of the coastal club after taking the reins in February following the departure of Rwandan coach Andre Casa Mbungo.
Immediately upon his appointment, Kimani pledged to boost the confidence levels of the players which had plummeted after a series of poor outings.
“Modo” is inching closer to his objective after guiding the 2019 FKF Shield champions to a two-all draw against traditional giants AFC Leopards at Nyayo Stadium on Sunday and an inspiring 2-0 win over debutants FC Talanta at Mbaraki on Wednesday.
“It's still too early to set targets for this season. We shall take each match at a time,” Kimani said.
For the first time in a long time, the team won't have to worry about any injuries ahead of the match, says Kimani.
Before his departure, former coach Mbungo had attributed their torrid run to a lengthy injury list that left them vulnerable in the cutthroat competition. But Kimani doesn't seem to share his concerns anymore.
“I'm happy we've not had any injuries in the last three weeks. That's good news especially if you take into account injuries have led us to a poor run in the later stages of the season,” said Kimani.
Reigning champions Tusker will be keen to close the gap on Homeboyz when they come up against an equally ambitious Kariobangi Sharks side at Ruaraka Grounds on Saturday.
The Brewers head into the encounter on the back of an emphatic 3-0 win over Wazito that fired them to the second spot on Tuesday. They brushed aside a horrible start to the season to bring themselves back into contention with 37 points.
Record champions Gor Mahia host Kenya Police at Moi Stadium, Kisumu as arch-rivals AFC Leopards battle Sofapaka at Nyayo Stadium in matches slated for Sunday.
Nairobi City Stars travel to Bukhungu for a date against Vihiga Bullets on a day that Bidco United will be hosting Mathare United at Thika Stadium.
