Cheche, Zakayo assess Ethiopia's Coffee ahead of Kagame Cup clash

After a mixed start to the tournament—registering one win and one loss—Police FC captain David 'Cheche' Ochieng says the team has drawn valuable lessons from their past matches and is ready to step up.

Speaking on Sunday on their preparations for the crucial tie, Cheche admitted that the team is still building chemistry but remains optimistic.  

“We’ve won one match and lost one. But overall, it’s been a good lesson for us. This tournament helps us prepare not just for the do."

The captain also emphasised that the team’s focus is not only on progressing in the Kagame Cup but also on sharpening tactics and team coordination ahead of the 2025/26 CAF Champions League campaign.

Cheche noted that predicting line-ups at this stage is difficult, as coaches are still testing combinations, saying:  “Each team is rotating players to find their best 11, so it is hard to know who’ll start, but we’ve seen their playing style and we’re prepared for them," added Cheche.

Police FC’s first match was a dominant win, but the captain attributed the loss in the second game against Singida Black Stars partly to the pitch and missed chances:  “We had our chances but didn’t convert them, and they capitalised on our mistakes. We’ll fix that in the next game,” he observed.

His teammate Eric Zakayo has underlined the importance of the tournament in shaping the team ahead of a packed season.

Zakayo noted that the Kagame Cup offers more than just a competition — but a vital platform for building team chemistry ahead of their debut Champions League campaign.

“This tournament is helping us get ready for the season and for  Champions League. It's also giving players a chance to understand each other better on the pitch,” Zakayo said.

Reflecting on their previous matches, Zakayo admitted that their loss against Singida reflected a stronger opponent.

“Not all matches are the same. In the first game, we won it very easily. In the second one, we lost because the opponents were simply better on the day,” he added.

Despite the setback, Zakayo remains confident that the team is learning and improving with every game and hopefully go all the way.

With the Ethiopian Coffee clash now on the horizon, Police FC will be aiming to bounce back and strengthen their bid for a spot in the knockout stages.