Police FC coach Anthony Kimani remains optimistic about the team’s chances of advancing to the second preliminary round of the CAF Confederation Cup, as they prepare to face Ethiopia Coffee this weekend.
In the first leg at Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday, Police FC were held to a goalless draw by the Ethiopian side. To progress, they now need to either secure a win or force a scoring draw in the return leg in Addis.
“I believe we played well overall,” said Kimani, who recently joined forces with head coach Salim Babu to meet CAF club licensing requirements. “We focused on building from the back and our passing was strong, but we lacked the finishing touch in the final third. We had several good chances that we should have converted.”
Kimani, who previously played for Mathare United and the Harambee Stars, and left Ulinzi at the end of last season, downplayed the importance of titles within the coaching staff. He emphasized that the technical bench is united in its efforts to see the team succeed.
“We work as a cohesive unit on the technical bench,” Kimani noted. “Coach Babu is very experienced, and we all contribute our ideas for the benefit of the team.”
Looking ahead to the crucial second leg in Addis, Kimani acknowledged the need to sharpen the team’s offensive play but remains confident in their ability to secure a positive result.
“We’ve analyzed their style of play and know what to expect in the return leg. We understand that we need to enhance our attack, as most other aspects of our game are solid. It will be a tough match, but I have no doubt we have the personnel to achieve a good result,” he added.
Police FC faced setbacks ahead of the first leg, with influential midfielder Kenneth Muguna ruled out due to a previously imposed four-match suspension from 2021, which he began serving during his time at Gor Mahia. Muguna, who has two matches remaining on his suspension, will only be available if Police advance to the next round.
The team also suffered another blow when new signing Brian Musa was stretchered off with a suspected ankle sprain just 12 minutes into the game. With David ‘Messi’ Owino already sidelined by injury, the midfield was further weakened.
“These are key players for us, and their absence was definitely felt,” Kimani said. “We’re hopeful Messi can return, and we’re waiting for clearance on Musa.”
As they prepare for the crucial away fixture, Police FC will need to overcome these challenges to keep their CAF Confederation Cup hopes alive.
