Tusker captain Abud Omar has urged his teammates to stay focused and share responsibility when the brewers face Al Ahli Wad Madani in the decisive second leg of their CAF Confederation Cup first preliminary round tie on Saturday at Nyayo National Stadium.
The match kicks off at 3 pm with the aggregate score tied at 2-2 after the first leg at Kigali Pelé Stadium in Rwanda, where Tusker surrendered a two-goal lead.
Victor Mbaoma scored twice to put the brewers in command, with Abdoulie Joof contributing to the goals, but Al Ahli fought back in the second half with Al-Samani Al-Sawi forcing a draw.
Omar, who has recovered from a recent ankle problem, believes Tusker have prepared sufficiently for the return match and have the quality needed to overcome their Sudanese opponents. “We have prepared well, and we have enough ammunition to deal with them,” Omar said.
The captain has also sought to ease pressure on individual players, insisting the responsibility for getting Tusker through must be shared.
“I told all the players that when we go onto that pitch, it is not all about Abud; it is all of us. If I cannot score a free kick, someone else needs to step up and score. It’s a team and a collective responsibility,” he said.
Assistant captain Tom Teka admitted that the failure to protect the 2-0 advantage in Kigali was down to defensive lapses after Tusker had controlled much of the first half. The defender said the experience had given the players a clearer understanding of the threat posed by Al Ahli, while also providing motivation ahead of the return leg.
“We made some costly mistakes. We were in control in the first half, but we lost concentration, and that denied us the victory,” Teka said.
Tusker have used the first leg to assess where they need to improve, particularly in maintaining their defensive organisation when under pressure. Teka believes the disappointment of conceding twice will help drive the players. “The result in Kigali will only positively drive the boys towards Saturday’s return fixture in Nairobi,” he said.
Omar estimates that the squad is about 80 per cent ready following their preseason preparations, but warned that continental football leaves little room for lapses in concentration.
The Brewers are returning to African competition after winning the FKF Mozzart Bet Cup, and their immediate task is to turn home advantage into a result that sends them through to the second preliminary round. “Continental football is a different level and small mistakes can punish you,” Omar said.
That warning will be particularly relevant after Al Ahli demonstrated in Kigali that they can recover from difficult situations. Tusker must therefore avoid the defensive lapses that allowed the Sudanese side back into the contest. The return match also gives the brewers a chance to correct what went wrong in the opening leg, with the technical bench and players.
Omar said the team must approach the match collectively rather than relying on individual brilliance as they look to secure progression. “We have to stay focused, play as a team and make sure we do not give them opportunities to punish us,” he said.
The winner will advance to the second preliminary round, where they will face either AS Kigali of Rwanda or Al-Hilal Benghazi of Libya. With the tie level at 2-2, a victory at Nyayo will guarantee Tusker’s passage to the next round and keep their continental campaign alive.
