SportPesa Cup: Bandari coach Mwalala confident of good showing

William Wandari from Bandari FC runs away as he celebrates after scoring for his team's their first goal when they played against Gor Mahia FC during the opening of the 2019 Sportpesa Kenya Premier League match at the Mbarak Sports Club in Mombasa, December 8, 2018. [PHOTO BY GIDEON MAUNDU/STANDARD].

The winner walks away with Sh3 million and an opportunity to host nine-time English league titleholders, Everton FC, in their second tour to East Africa later this year.

Now that they are on top of the SportPesa Premier League log, Bandari coach Bernard Mwalala says, his charges are inspired to win the tournament that starts in Dar es salaam, Tanzania, on Tuesday.

The dockers alongside AFC Leopards, and Kariobangi Sharks were expected in Tanzania yesterday while the other Kenyan representatives Gor Mahia fly straight from Cameroon to Tanzania after today’s CAF tie against New Stars.

“It was necessary to have confidence before traveling to Tanzania and it was important to win on Thursday against Posta Rangers to ascend to the top of the domestic league,” said Mwalala.

Mwalala is happy he will play Singida of Tanzania in the quarter-final and opening match in an early kick off at the National Stadium on Tuesday. Singida lost 1-0 to Mbao in a mid-week Tanzanian Premier League match at CCM Kirumba Stadium in Mwanza.

AFC Leopards are also confident after squeezing a narrow 2-1 win over Chemelil Sugar but it will be an uphill task for Sharks who threw away two crucial points against Zoo Kericho to settle for a 1-1 draw in Thursday’s matches.

At the same time, tournament’s defending champions Gor Mahia are keen to have a second bite at the cherry.

Captain Harun Shakava says: “We are set to defend our title in Tanzania although we understand the potent challenge the Tanzanian teams-Simba and Yanga pose in 2019 edition.”

They long for a rematch against Everton, who beat them 2-1 last year before thrashing them 4-0 at Goodison Park, Liverpool, last November.

Meanwhile ten Burundian and Malawian referees will officiate d Sportpesa Cup to be held at National Stadium. [Ernest Ndunda in Dar es salaam, Tanzania]