Tusker’s Situma says team not under pressure in title race

Tusker's Eugine Asike, left vie for the ball with Dennis Mukaisi of Posta Rangers during Sportpesa Premier league at Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday, April 24, 2016. [PHOTO: JONAH ONYANGO/STANDARD]

Tusker captain James Situma insists they are not under pressure despite Kenya Premier League champions Gor Mahia moving to within two points of them in the title chase.

The brewers dropped two points against Ushuru last Sunday and with Gor Mahia beating Chemelil Sugar 3-1 and Ulinzi Stars 1-0, Tusker have lost their seven point lead.

“We cannot panic or allow ourselves to be under pressure at this time. This will only lead us to make mistakes and drop even more points along the way," Situma said.

“We have decided to be calm and take one match at a time. With six matches to go, there is still a lot of possibilities for us. It is not as if we have only two matches to finish the season.

"We are confident that we will make a big difference in the remaining matches but one thing we can’t do is to panic.”

Asked whether he believes Tusker have dropped easy points, the former Sofapaka defender said: “No that is not true. The league has been tight and every team wants to win. No one can just let go of points like that.

The teams we have been playing have either been going for the top eight or want to fight off relegation and you don’t expect such matches to be easy.”

His coach Paul Nkata admitted that the remaining six matches are like a final for his side and refused to predict how it will go.

“Where it has reached, I leave everything to God. It is very difficult to predict what will happen and that is why for us every match from now on is like a final,” he said.

The brewers yesterday thrashed Thika United 5-0 in a friendly at the latter’s backyard as they do not have any match this weekend.

Though Nkata was pleased with the results, he insists that friendly matches are different from competitive fixtures.

“It was a good result no doubt but it does not mean much because it was a friendly which is totally different from a competitive fixture.”