Tusker head coach Robert 'The Lion' Matano insists his team will not lose heart despite a string of recent setbacks.
The brewers initially set their season in motion with a flying start, keeping up a six-match winning streak that propelled them to top of the Kenyan Premier League standings.
With the remarkable run, they took a firm lead over rival contenders and created the perfect conditions for a successful title defence.
Things, however, went south in Mombasa a fortnight ago, where they suffered their first loss of the season against Bandari at Mbaraki Sports Club.
They had hoped to bounce back strongly against Nzoia Sugar in their backyard at the Ruaraka Complex last Saturday, but the millers fought heroically to hold them to a goalless draw. Tusker’s lead over second-placed Nzoia has now narrowed to just one point.
As his charges set their sights on a second straight championship, and their 12th overall, Matano is motivating them to accelerate and express themselves early in the season.
“Regaining our momentum and going back to our proper place (confidence-wise) is beneficial to us. We aim to maintain our league-leading pace while remaining at the top without feeling overly pressured,” Matano said.
Humphrey Mieno, the veteran captain, echoed the manager’s sentiments and urged his teammates to improve their mental toughness if they want to stand out in the fierce competition.
“Everything is determined by our mental edge. Matches are approaching at speed and we therefore need to have a solid mental strength,” Mieno said.
Mieno believes their recent struggles in the elite competition have emboldened their resolve.
“Since the league is still young, there is no pressure on our end. At some point, we knew we would lose control of our winning streak and so it wasn’t shocking when we lost to Bandari in Mombasa,” Mieno said.
“I believe we performed admirably against Nzoia at Ruaraka on Saturday, despite having 10 players left on the field due to Tom Teka’s dismissal.
The seasoned midfield maestro believes the Ruaraka-based side have learned some key lessons that could help them play better in the future and push them to the desired heights.
“We’ve taken a few positives away from our last two games that will enable us perform better in our next games,” he said. “It’s still very early in the season and we can still build on our form and bounce back.”
Tusker top the standings with 18 points, one better of Nzoia Sugar, as the KPL schedule moves into Round 10 on Wednesday.
