Tusker FC coach Okere impressed with Kisumu camp ahead of new season

Kenyan Premier League side Tusker FC coach Charles Okere has admitted to being impressed with the team’s choice to pitch camp in Kisumu County ahead of the new 2025/26 FKF Premier League season.

The Brewers decided to camp in Kisumu in readiness for the season and played two friendly matches. They first played promoted side APS Bomet and defeated them 1-0 courtesy of an Eric Kapaito goal. In their second friendly, Tusker came up against Kisumu-based TBM Health which ended in a 1-1 draw on Thursday.

Against TBM Health, the Brewers showed grit and character, coming from a goal down to share the spoils. After conceding early, Tusker responded in the second half through striker David Polepole, who rose highest in the box to power home a well-taken header.

Tusker’s task grew harder midway through the second half when Dennis Oalo was shown a red card, leaving the Brewers to finish the match with 10 men. Despite the setback, the side continued to press for a winner, with Ian Simiyu coming close and later delivering a dangerous low cross that found Teddy Dok, whose shot from close range was brilliantly kept out by the TBM goalkeeper.

Speaking after the game, Okere told Tusker website: “I am pleased with the resilience the boys showed to come from behind and keep pushing even after going a man down. These are the kind of tests we want in pre-season because they expose the gaps we need to work on before the new campaign starts.

“We created several good chances, which is encouraging, but our finishing and decision-making in the final third can be sharper. At the same time, we conceded from a situation that we should have defended better, so these are things we will take back to training.”

Speaking on behalf of the players, defender Alex Onchwari, said: “We showed good character and togetherness today by fighting back from a goal down. The pre-season camp here in Kisumu has been very beneficial because it is helping us understand each other better on the pitch and also strengthen our relationships off it.

“Every training session and every match here has taught us something new. As players, we are starting to build more trust in one another, and that will be key once the season kicks off. It is not just about fitness, but also about mentality and unity, and I feel we are growing stronger as a group and ready for our first match of the season next weekend.”

Tusker will conclude their Kisumu pre-season with a fixture against Kakamega Homeboyz on Saturday.

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