Kenya: Tusker Tackle Muhoroni in Crunch Match at Afraha

By Cellestine Olilo

Leaders Tusker will be looking to bounce back to winning ways when they host Muhoroni Youth in a crunch Kenyan Premier League match at the Afraha Stadium, Nakuru on Friday.

The match presents a major test to the brewers' title credentials after dropping two vital points in their 1-1 draw with Ushuru in their last league match which allowed Gor Mahia to cut the gap at the top to just two points.

With their closest challengers Gor Mahia facing Sofapaka on Sunday, coach Paul Nkata is aware that only a win can guarantee his team the top position that they have occupied for the last five months.

The Ugandan tactician now admits that his team is under pressure to win all their six remaining matches, adding that "there have no option" but to win against Muhoroni.

"I don't want to imagine the kind of pressure we shall be in if we lose. We need to win. There is a very small gap between us and the champions and they are coming down at us very hard," Nkata Daily Nation Sport.

"We don't have any major injuries right now but I know that none of our remaining games will be easy. They will all be very crucial."

The brewers will yet again rely on Kenyan international Allan Wanga, who has been in scintillating form since his re-union with the club midseason, to lead their attack.

Muhoroni, winless in their last two matches, have just two wins in their last nine league outings in the second leg and will be out to avenge their 2-1 loss to the Tusker in their first leg encounter.

Striker Wycliffe Ochomo, who is the league's joint top scorer with 12 goals, has been quiet for Muhoroni in recent times, and he will be looking to pull away from Ulinzi's John Makwatta and AFC Leopards striker Kepha Aswani in the race for the Golden Boot.

Muhoroni captain Francis Ocholla on Friday said they are well prepared to deal with the Tusker challenge.

"At times it is pointless to look at preceding results because each match has its own stakes and bears its own significance which makes it different from the last. We haven't won our last two matches but we have prepared well and are determined to win and that is what matters most," he said.

Tusker will welcome back defender Shafik Batambuze and midfielder Ekaliani Ndolo after the duo missed the Ushuru stalemate but defender Eugene Asike will sit out of this tie as he continues his recovery from injury.

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