FKF Cup: Tusker coach ready for KCB test

Tusker FC head coach Julien Mette has revealed the club’s readiness to take on KCB in the semifinals of the FKF Cup at Nyayo Stadium on Saturday.

The French coach believes his players are ready to eliminate the Bankers and reach the final of the knockout competition. truewildgame.online

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With the league title already out of their reach, Tusker will be aiming to reach the final of the domestic Cup and win it to represent Kenya in the CAF Confederation Cup next season.

Tusker to play without pressure

“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.

“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.”

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Mette added: “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 is strong opponent

KCB coach Robert Matano, who will be facing his former employer, admitted Tusker are favourites to reach the final.

“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 Matano.

In the league, Tusker are lying seventh with 44 points from 31 matches, while are two places behind them with 42 points.

Bulls head coach Johan Ackermann spoke highly of backline players Willie le Roux and Stedman Gans, who will each bring up milestones against Benetton on Saturday.

The teams meet at Loftus Versfeld at 4pm in the final United Rugby Championship league phase round of the season.

The Bulls are expected to win their sixth match in a row against Benetton to either hold onto fourth spot on the table, or move up to third or even second if the Stormers lose away to Cardiff or Leinster slip up at home against the Ospreys.

A finish in the top four means they will host a quarter-final. Ending higher than that could mean a home semi-final or final against any team below them.

Le Roux’s lauded

Ackermann warned that the Bulls could not underestimate the quality Italian side with a “nothing to lose” attitude. Especially after wins against Leinster, Cardiff and Lyon in recent weeks.

After naming his strongest possible team, Ackermann lauded fullback Le Roux, who will play his 400th first-class rugby match, and Gans, who will make his 100th appearance for the Bulls across all competitions.

Springbok veteran Le Roux, at 36, has had a long and prodigious career in rugby, culminating in his 100th Test match for the Springboks last season.

He’s played for the Boland Cavaliers, Griquas, Cheetahs, Sharks, Wasps, Toyota Verblitz and Bulls.

Ackermann described the utility back’s milestone as a “great privilege and blessing”.

“I don’t know if he [Le Roux] realises what a great achievement it is to play that amount of rugby and be so fortunate, because it means you did not have lots of injuries,” the Bulls coach said.

“That’s a great milestone, to play 400 first-class matches. It’s a great career and may it continue.”

Bulls coach praises Gans’ character

Gans, 29, has played for no union other than the Bulls, though he had a short stint with the Blitzboks and even won the SA Sevens Player of the Year award in 2020.

This week, he told the media he felt blessed to reach the milestone. Coming from the town of Vredenburg in the Western Cape, he said he grew up with many talented boys who would have also taken the opportunity to play rugby that he received when his family moved to Pretoria.

His coach said, “It’s my first year working with him and what a team man. He’s a guy who lifts the team, always gives his best for the team.

“He’s willing to learn, very coachable, and willing to adapt. If you ask him to do something different, he is willing to buy into that plan.”

He said Gans’ ability to move from outside to inside centre and cover wing this season has made him a valuable player.

“But the biggest thing is he shows perseverance to push through a number of coaches to get to that 100 mark. I can see why, because he is a great team man and a great person on and off the field.”

AS FAR coach Alexandre Santos believes his side have what it takes to beat Mamelodi Sundowns in the two-legged first leg CAF Champions League final affair in Pretoria on Sunday.

Sundowns will enter the final round as favourites but according to Santos, the final will not be decided in South Africa alone, warning that the battle for Africa’s biggest club prize will ultimately be settled over two fiercely contested matches.

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The Portuguese tactician further admitted they will be facing a difficult Sundowns side but remained confidence of his team getting over the line.

‘Victory is decided over two matches’

“The final is not just one match, but two,” Santos told reporters in Pretoria ahead of the encounter as quoted by CAFOnline.

“The Royal Army always plays to win. We know we are facing one of the most important clubs on the continent over the last decade, but we came here believing in ourselves and in our ability.”

The South African champions are unbeaten at home in the CAF Champions League over the last two seasons and are appearing in their second consecutive final after narrowly missing out on the title last year.

“The most important thing is to show team spirit and the mental strength required for this type of major event,” he said. “Our group is strong, united and fully prepared for this challenge.”

‘We need to control our focus’

He added: “No coach can speak about AS FAR without recalling the historical importance of this prestigious club. It was the first Moroccan club to win the African title in 1985.”

Santos concluded: “Victory is decided over two matches. We need to control our focus, our discipline and our collective strength because small details will make the difference — small details here, and others in Rabat.”

AS FAR goalkeeper Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti echoed his coach’s confidence, by saying: “We are well prepared for this final and we came here to achieve a positive result.

“We want to return to Rabat with a good result and, God willing, win the title there.”

Aston Villa disputera bien la prochaine édition de la Ligue des Champions de l’UEFA. Le club de Birmingham a validé son billet après sa victoire spectaculaire face à Liverpool (4-2), vendredi soir, en ouverture de la 37e journée de Premier League. Grâce à ce succès important, Aston Villa totalise désormais 62 points et occupe la quatrième place du championnat. Les hommes d’Unai Emery ne peuvent plus être rejoints par Bournemouth, sixième avec 55 points et un match en retard. Les Villans rejoignent ainsi Arsenal, Manchester City et Manchester United parmi les équipes déjà assurées de participer à la prochaine Ligue des Champions. En revanche, Liverpool devra encore patienter avant de sécuriser sa qualification pour la C1. Battus à Villa Park, les Reds restent bloqués à 59 points et demeurent sous la menace de Bournemouth avant l’ultime journée de championnat. Cette qualification récompense l’excellente saison réalisée par Aston Villa, qui retrouve les sommets du football européen.

L’article Premier League : Aston Villa qualifié pour la Ligue des Champions est apparu en premier sur AfricaFootUnited.