Tusker ready to intoxicate KCB in high stakes FKF Cup clash

Head coach Julien Mette Thursday told his players to keep calm as Tusker gear up for a crucial FKF Cup semi-final showdown against KCB on Saturday at Nyayo Stadium.

Mette, who spoke during a training session at Kenyatta University Grounds, said mental preparation was key for each player as the Brewers seek to end the season with silverware after an underwhelming KPL campaign.

Languishing seventh in the standings with only one win in their last four league matches, the Frenchman has urged his side to salvage their turbulent season by beating KCB to reach the final.

“If you want to express yourself technically you need to be calm, relaxed and confident, all of this is mental. I urge the players to train well and during the match to play without pressure,” said Mette.

Mette believes ending that barren run would at least partially salve the wounds of a troubled campaign that saw former coach Charles Okere sacked in February following a string of poor results.

“Mental is... is always first. Mental is always the most important because if you are a very good player technically during the training session, but you are not relaxed, you are not calm enough, you are not confident enough, in a game you be a ghost.”

Team captain Charles Momanyi said the side had resolved to play with a sense of duty even as he took the pressure off the shoulders of the players ahead of the match.

“There is no way we can change our training approach just because of a semi-final game. We are preparing for this match the same way we prepare to win all our matches… following the tactics led by our coach Mette.”

Tusker’s opponents KCB will be aiming to reach the FKF Cup final for the first time since 2024 when they lost to Kenya Police, who won on penalties after a barren draw in regular time.

KCB who bundled out holders Nairobi United with a 1-0 win in the quarterfinals are also limping in the league standings, with their one win in last five matches leaving them ninth, two points below Tusker.

“We have worked hard to reach this stage and the players have shown great discipline and character, Tusker is a strong opponent, but we are prepared for the challenge and focused on achieving our objective of reaching the final,” said KCB head coach Robert Matano.

Notably, the bankers reached the semifinals of the Cup without conceding a single goal underscoring their solid backline that has largely seen Fadhili Masoud, Nashon Alembi, Siraj Mohammed and Victor Okello start for the bankers.