Kenya Police coach reveals strategy he will deploy to down Zamalek in Confederation Cup

Kenya Police head coach Anthony ‘Modo’ Kimani is banking on exploiting “weaknesses” Zamalek possess if they are to stand a chance of repeating Gor Mahia’s heroics fron 2019 of beating the Egyptian side on homes soil when they face each other at the Nyayo National Stadium on Saturday.

Police will be facing Zamalek in the second preliminary round of the 2024/25 CAF Confederation Cup, with the eventual winner of the two-legged tie set to seal a place in the group stages of the competition this year.

The law enforcers earned their spot in this prestigious round with a hard-fought 1-0 aggregate win over Ethiopia Coffee SC in the first round. 

Rashid Toha’s decisive goal in the second leg secured Kenya Police FC’s path, setting the stage for this monumental contest against one of Africa’s most successful football clubs.

The law enforcers earned their spot in this prestigious round with a hard-fought 1-0 aggregate win over Ethiopia Coffee SC in the first round. Rashid Toha’s decisive goal in the second leg secured Kenya Police FC’s path, setting the stage for this monumental contest against one of Africa’s most successful football clubs.

Kimani has been working meticulously with the team, focusing on preparing for their formidable opponents.

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 Kimani emphasised the positive energy within the squad and expressed confidence in his players. “We’ve had a good two weeks to prepare for this particular match since our last game against Ethiopia Coffee SC,” he noted.

“The mood is really positive, every player is raring to go, and I am pretty sure any player that gets an opportunity to represent us tomorrow will put his best foot forward to ensure we get a result at home.”

Though fully aware of the stature and experience of Zamalek, Kimani also revealed that Kenya Police FC have identified potential weaknesses in the Egyptian side, and they intend to capitalise on these vulnerabilities. 

Rooney Onyango scored a brace playing centre forward during Gor Mahia's CAF Champions League victory over El Merreikh, raising questions whether he could take over from Benson Omala.

“We are well aware of the team we’ll be playing against; we know the quality that they have and the history they have in this particular tournament. However, we know that they have a few weak points, and that’s what we’ll be looking to exploit in order to have an advantage tomorrow,” he added.

Captain Musa Mohammed echoed the importance of fan support in their campaign, urging the Kenyan public to rally behind the team. “We urge the fans to show up in numbers to support us. At this moment, it’s about the country, not just Kenya Police FC,” he emphasised.