Sofapaka FC head coach Divaldo Alves has admitted it will be a tough duel when his side takes on 11-time champions Tusker FC in Machakos on Saturday. The tactician has warned his boys they need to be at their best to contain the brewers and pick their second win of the season.

“I know they are a tough team, very strong and they like to play in transition with long passes straight to the striker. Sometimes they make very long diagonal passes and we need to deal with them. We are ready for the game and I am hoping for positives,” coach Alves stated.

The two sides met during a pre-season friendly match in Ruaraka with Tusker winning 2-0, but the tactician expects a different ball game when they meet in a league fixture.

Both sides are coming off wins with Tusker having beaten Zoo Kericho 2-1 while Sofapaka picked up a healthy 4-0 win over Chemelil Sugar in Narok. Coach Alves hopes that the momentum will continue against Tusker.

“The motivation of the players is very good and they are willing to remain on the winning track. I believe in the next matches we will see beautiful things from them. We are understanding each other and I am proud to have such a good team with good fighting spirit like a family,”

“Of course I am not happy because I want to win all the games but up to now the results are fair enough. We need to find more wins t keep going,” he said.

Since 2009, Tusker and Sofapaka have met 22 times in the league with Sofapaka having the upper hand with nine wins and four losses, the rest ending up in draws. Last season, Tusker won the first leg 3-2 while the second leg ended in a 2-2 draw.

Sofapaka FC forward Brian Nyakan says he wants to score double digit goals this season after finally getting off the mark with a brace in last weekend’s 4-0 win over Chemelil Sugar in Narok. Nyakan who is in his second stint at Sofapaka believes he is up to the task.

“It was such a joy and relief to score because I had worked so much for it. That is just the start and I would want to keep on scoring. I want to score double digits and I believe I can basing on how I am working in training,” stated Nyakan.

He looks forward to adding his tally against Tusker FCon Saturday though he recons it will be a difficult game.

“They are a very good and experienced team and it won’t be easy for us. But we played them in pre-season and we know what they are about. We want to continue with the winning run to maintain ourselves in the top five and a win against Tusker will be a big boost for us,” he said.

The forward added; “As a team we have gelled now because many of us were new and now, we have a more solid unit. It will be hard to break us down.”

Nyakan previously played for Sofapaka in 2016 where he scored four goals.

Ahead of the match day four tie away to Tusker FC at the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos, head coach Divaldo Alves has provided the team news on who is fit and available.

-Cersidy Okeyo will miss the tie due to illness. He has not trained this week.

-Telvin Omutere and Brian Magonya will also be unavailable for the game as they are still in rehabilitation to recover from injuries sustained in pre-season.

-Allan Katwe and Mohammed Kilume will face late fitness tests to give them a go ahead for the match. Katwe picked up an injury during the week while Kilume also had an ankle knock on Thursday.

Our round three lineup for KPL 2020 as we host Chemelil fc at Narok Stadium on Sunday 22th September 2019 for the Sportpesa Premier League Championship as presented by our Head Coach Divaldo Alves and the technical bench

Starting eleven include:

Isima Watenga .1
Willis Obayi .3
Mohammed Kilume .4
Faina Jacobs .6
Timonah Wanyonyi .7
George Maelo .8 (C)
Peter Lwasa .11
Elli Asieche .16
Titus Achesa .20
Muhammed Kasirye .27 
Kepha Aswani .50

SUBSTITUTES
Richard Aimo .32
Musa Malunda .5
Brian Nyakan .14
Ronald Okoth .23
Sammy Imbuye  .25
Ibrahim Kitawi .28
Allan Katwe .33

Our round two lineup for KPL 2019-2020 is as follows when we play Ulinzi stars fc at Afraha Stadium, Nakuru on Saturday 14th September 2019 for the Sportpesa Premier League Championship as presented by our Head Coach Divaldo Alves and the technical bench

Starting eleven include:

Isima Watenga .1
Willis Obayi .3
Faina Jacobs .6
George Maelo .8 (C)
Peter Lwasa .11
Brian Nyakan .14
Elli Asieche .16
Titus Achesa .20
Muhammed Kasirye .27 
Allan Katwe .33
Kepha Aswani .50

SUBSTITUTES
Richard Aimo .32
Mohammed Kilume .04
Musa Malunda .5
Timonah Wanyoni .7
Ronald Okoth .23
Sammy Imbuye  .25
Ibrahim Kitawi .28

New Sofapaka signing Ismael Kiyonga says he is not assured of a starting role in the team, acknowledging some tough competition in the goalkeeping department. The Ugandan keeper was signed on deadline day from Ethiopian side Coffee.

“I did not come here as the number one. I came here to compete for the starting role. I have enjoyed my first week because the players are so welcoming and friendly. The two goalkeepers Ihave found here are very good and it will be tough to get a starting role,” he notes.

The keeper further states his targets include winning trophies with Sofapaka.

“I am a winner with a good mentality and I want to lift trophies with Sofapaka. I know that it has been long since the team lifted a trophy and I want to play a role to see that thirst quenched. The Kenyan league is very tough but hopefully we will make it,” he said.

Sofapaka head coach Divaldo Alves says he is excited with the return of regular skipper George Maelo ahead of this weekend’s trip away to Ulinzi Stars in Nakuru. Maelo missed the league opener against Posta Rangers due to work commitment.

“I am very happy that he is back because he is not only a good player but a leader on the pitch. When he talks his teammates listen to him and it is very important to have such a figure in the team especially with several young players,” the tactician stated.

Maelo has trained with the rest of the players for the last two weeks and is in contention for a place in the team that travels to Nakuru. The defender is looking forward to vying for three points against Ulinzi and believes the team will bounce back from the losing start.

“It will be a tough game away from home but looking at how we have trained this week, I think we are in very good shape. We are focused and everyone knows how important it will be for us to win and bounce back,” Maelo said.

Sofapaka midfielder Elly Asieche believes Ulinzi Stars will be a hard nut to crack when the two sides clash in Match Day two of the Kenyan Premier League on Saturday at the Afraha Stadium in Nakuru. However, Asieche believes the team has the ability to go through the tie and get maximum points.

“It will not be easy because Ulinzi is a very tough team. But, we have trained well for the past two weeks, focused on our weak areas and also tried to gel as a team because we have very many new players,”

“Everything has worked well and now we are more cohesive and the unity in the team is coming up very well,” Asieche opined.

He has rallied his teammates to give in a good account and bounce back from the loss against Posta.

“It wasn’t the start we anticipated but we have to put that behind us and focus on the game on Saturday. It will be important for us to get three points because we can’t do the same mistakes we did last season by starting poorly,” he noted.

Sofapaka head coach Divaldo Alves says he is not worried despite the team starting the season with a 2-1 loss at home against Posta Rangers last Friday. The tactician says he was pleased with the performance of the team and was only worried they could not convert the chances they had, hence the loss.

Coach Alves says the players gave in a good fight and showcased a hugely improved performance.

“I saw and loved how the team created many scoring chances and even though they didn’t score i loved that. My concern now is to work on our finishing and improve, I think we will be a great team this season,” the tactician said.

He added; “We really played well and the players have shown some huge improvement since I came in. Of course there are many areas we need to keep working and improving on but I am impressed.”

“Of course it was not a good way to start the season with a loss, but that’s just one game. We have 33 more to play and that is 33 more chances to do things better. I know we can do well, I love the mentality and fighting spirit of my players,” the coach further added.

The boss will have an opportunity to test out more options and formations on Monday when the team takes on Sony Sugar in a friendly match in Narok

Sofapaka will face fellow Kenyan Premier League side Sony Sugar FC in  a friendly match at the Narok Stadium on Monday September 9 in the penultimate day of the FIFA International weekend as the team builds up for the second match of the season against Ulinzi Stars in Nakuru.

Head coach Divaldo Alves will use the tie to continue building up his team, looking to improve from the season opening 2-1 loss against Posta Rangers. The match will also be a good platform for the tactician to give new keeper Ismail Watenga some much needed game time.

The match has been made possible by the financial injection from new partners Living 3D whose coming in has breathed a new lease of life to the club, making day to day operations easier and opening up an avenue for playing more build up games.

Living 3D was also integral in the arrival of new keeper Watenga who will boost the goalkeeping department for the new season.