Tusker shift focus to defending KPL title

The Kenyan Champions Tusker FC were eliminated from the 2012 CECAFA Kagame Cup in the group stages after failing to score in both their group B matches. They played to a barren draw against both Azam and Mafunzo from Zanzibar and were eliminated by the virtue of not having scored a goal.

Despite the early exit, Coach Sammy ‘Pamzo’ Omollo wore a brave face after the debacle and says they have learned a lot from their CECAFA experience. He chooses to look at the glass as half full rather than half empty saying it was a blessing in disguise for them.

“We can now go back home and concentrate on defending our domestic title. Even though we wanted to go to the highest possible level in this tournament, we must take the results the way they have come. Something positive is that we did not concede a goal, but disturbing is the fact that we did not score either,” Pamzo notes.

“It is a big experience for me as a coach since it is my debut year in the CECAFA Kagame Cup. Also for my players, it is a big piece of experience; we now leave the tournament having learnt a few lessons which are not only going to help us in this tournament but also in our domestic league. We have played only two matches so when we go back home, the element of fatigue is not going to ride on our backs,” the coach observes.

Pamzo has also hailed defender David Ochieng’ playing his first high profile international competition.

“David was outstanding, he was very solid in defense and you would not easily notice that it was his first competition of such magnitude. I know in him I have a dependable defender. Next year if we will be able to defend our domestic title, we will be back stronger and better,” Concludes the former Breweries player.
while all Tanzanian teams will play against each other in the quarter finals of the CECAFA Kagame Cup. All four Tanzanian teams including Mafunzo from Zanzibar qualified for the quarters.

Azam and Mafunzo qualified from Group B, Yanga from Group C while Simba Qualified from Group A.

In the first quarter final match on Monday afternoon, Ugandan tax collectors URA will face off with Rwandan soldiers APR. Zanzibar’s Mafunzo will take on defending Champions Young Africans in the next quarter final at 2pm.

Burundi side Atletico Olimpique will take on invitational side Vita Club from Congo, a match that promises to be mouth watering. Wekundu wa Msimbazi will then take on Azam in the last quarter final match of the day at 4pm.

If in regulation time no winner will be found, then the winner will be decided on post match penalties. There is no extra time in the tournament.