Ulinzi Stars coach Benjamin Nyangweso is banking on high-profile friendly games as his team prepares to take on Egyptian club Smouha in the first round of 2017 Caf Confederation Cup next month.
The soldiers first round of the tournament on Saturday afternoon after eliminating Libyan side Al Hilal Benghazi 5-4 on post-match penalties at Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi.
Smouha, who reached the Champions’ League group stage in 2015, now await the 2009 Kenyan Premier League champions in the two-leg encounter whose winner will progress to the second round.
This, together with the uncertainty surrounding the kick-off of the SportPesa Premier League, is the reason Nyangweso is banking on more friendlies to help his team remain relevant in the competition.
“It wasn’t easy to get to this stage, and I know that the next round will be even more difficult. This time we weren’t lucky to get many friendlies but we cannot afford to do the same going forward. I hope that the management will organise some games with some good teams so that we can perform well when the time comes,” Nyangweso said on Monday.