AFC Leopards head coach Tomas Trucha has called on his charges to forget Sunday's Mashemeji defeat as they tackle Division II side Compel FC in a Football Kenya Federation Cup quarterfinal on Sunday at Police Sacco Stadium.
The Czech tactician is eyeing glory, aiming for a golden ticket to next season’s CAF Confederation Cup.
“We have a chance to proceed to the Cup semifinals. We will fight for that spot and make the finals. We aim to play in the Confederation Cup,” said Trucha.
The Confederation Cup is the second tier of African club football, below the Champions League.
The competition comprises domestic cup winners from all 54 CAF member associations and the third-placed club in the domestic league of the top 12 ranked nations.
In their journey to the quarters, Ingwe secured a 1-0 victory against Shabana through Kayci Odhiambo's goal at Gusii Stadium.
Despite the 1-0 loss to rivals Gor Mahia in the Mashemeji derby over the weekend, Trucha remains optimistic.
“Sometimes football is cruel, you may be the better side but still lose. We still have something to play for and it is a big one. We need to learn from our loss and use it to our advantage,” he pointed out.
Trucha highlighted areas for improvement, particularly in their attack.
“We need to work on our finishing and creation of chances. Our crosses into the box were poor against Gor Mahia,” he noted.
He urged his charges to show hunger and capitalise on every opportunity created.
“We had a man advantage but could not capitalise on it. We needed to be hungrier,” he added.
Meanwhile, Trucha is keen to make additions to the side to firm up their depth.
“We need to identify and bring on board players who will give us more depth on the bench and more options going forward,” he said.
KCB will clash with holders Kakamega Homeboyz at Utalii Grounds, Nairobi, while Kenya Police take on Sofapaka at Police Sacco Stadium on Saturday.
SS Assad will host Kariobangi Sharks at the Mbaraki Sports Club, Mombasa, on Sunday.
