- The Tusker FC versus Shabana match will be staged at the Gusii Stadium.
- Tusker will be without some of their stars who are with the national team at the ongoing Mapinduzi Cup.
- Two other matches are on offer this Saturday.
Football fans will get an opportunity to see their stars in action on Saturday, January 11 when the Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKFPL) resumes after the holiday break.
The league was expected to continue in the first weekend of 2025 but officials decided to wait until a new Football Kenya Federation (FKF) transition committee was formed.
The main attraction of the day will be the Tusker versus Shabana fixture that is scheduled to be played at the Gusii Stadium from 2 PM local time.
Tusker, who occupy the second spot in the standings at the moment, travel to Kisii County as the favorites based on their recent form.
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Opportunity for Tusker to go top of the table
The club that is coached by Charles Okere have similar points (27) as league leaders KCB FC, who have a better goal difference.
However, with a game in hand, the Brewers stand in a very good position as they go into the second leg of the competitive league.
The Ruaraka based club will prepare for the tough game on the back of two consecutive victories that saw them overcome Bidco United 2-1 before hammering Posta Rangers 3-1 in their latest match that was played on December 21.
Speaking ahead of the important game, a confident Okere stated that his charges are motivated and well prepared.
“Psychologically we are prepared because most of the time we get the maximum points when playing away from our home ground.
This is a motivation to us playing against a team that has many fans. We have our plan and that is what we are going to stick to.
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A win for us will make us have 30 points and keep us at the top of the log. As much as we are playing away from home, we are planning for the best.
So, playing against Shabana and also a win for us, keeping us on top of the log, I think that is the best motivation for any team,” he offered.
The 27-year-old added that the unavailability of some of his stars who are currently in international duty does not make them scared to face Shabana.
According to him, that provides a chance for the available players to help the team since they have the capability to do so.
“For sure, we will miss our three key players and for us as a team, it is something that we have shared with all of us.
This is the Tusker family and we appreciate the efforts that the boys who are away on national team duty are making.
We will miss Shaphan, Erambo and Ryan Ogam, who are our key players, but we have prepared the other players too.
They are important in the team. This is an opportunity for them to showcase what they are made of,” he explained.
Shabana aim to return to winning ways
On the other hand, Shabana FC, whose star player Darius Msagha is also with the Harambee Stars, will be aiming to win the match and jump to the fifth position in the table.
The Glamour Boys are ranked ninth at the moment with 20 points from 15 matches. A win on Saturday expected to help them leapfrog the likes of Murang’a Seal, Bandari FC and AFC Leopards.
Shabana will be seeking to rewrite the mistakes they made in their narrow 1-0 defeat to Mathare United in their most recent game.
In other matches, Posta Rangers will entertain Nairobi City Stars at the Machakos Stadium from 1 PM while FC Talanta and Kakamega Homeboyz are set to square it out at the same venue at 4 PM.
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