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The Belgian tactician feels Ingwe have nothing to play for in the league, hence the need to use it to prepare for their ‘most important game’ of the season
AFC Leopards coach Patrick Aussems insists that he will not change his stance on using Football Kenya Federation Premier League matches as a warm-up for the FKF Cup semi-final against Kakamega Homeboyz even with the ‘Mashemeji’ derby against Gor Mahia is next.
Aussems saw his team end their seven-match winless run in the league following a 1-0 win against third-placed Nzoia Sugar on Sunday to give them confidence ahead of this weekend’s league tie against title-chasing Gor Mahia.
However, the Belgian tactician says Ingwe do not have anything to play for in the league hence the need to use is it to stay in shape for what he terms their ‘most important’ game of the season against Homeboyz.
“I said last week that this game against Nzoia and next game against Gor Mahia will help us to prepare for the semi-final so today (Sunday) we had one of our best performances of the season maybe and we played good football, against a team that plays good football and I really want to insist on that,” Aussems said.
“It was a pleasure to see us playing today and to see Nzoia playing because the last game (against Ulinzi Stars) that was only playing long ball and it is not modern football so I’m really happy and I would like to congratulate Nzoia for the season they are doing but today we played well we build from behind and had a good performance.
“It was a good game with a lot of intensity but I cannot understand why there were so much yellow cards. Maybe it was to give a fifth one to Ojo (Olaniyi) and (Brian) Wanyama so they will not play next week.”
Despite the rivalry between Gor and Leopards with just more than bragging rights at stake in Sunday’s ‘Mashemeji’ derby, Aussems will not change his plans for the encounter.
“I used the game of last week, today and the Gor game to prepare for the semi-final. So, Gor Mahia, Mathare, Murang’a I don’t care. We will work on something different for the players to be ready for the semi-final,” he added.
“The federation docked us points, they did not allow us to play in Kakamega against Homeboyz, we are now 14 or 15 points behind (in the league). We are not in the title race so our target now is to use those league games to prepare as well as possible for the semi-final.”
Ingwe had picked just four points from a possible 21 following four draws and three defeats before Sunday’s encounter when Ojo Olaniyi’s strike handed them the win.
Leopards will take on Homeboyz in the Cup semi-final on May 20 with the winner facing either Tusker FC or Ulinzi Stars in the final for a place in next season’s CAF Confederation Cup as well as the trophy and the Ksh2 million that comes with winning the title.
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