This archive report was first published on 30 August 2019.
Mathare United head coach Salim Ali is confident that his team has what it takes to win the Kenyan Premier League title, despite losing some key players during the close season.
Ali, who took over from Francis Kimanzi last month, believes that he has assembled an even better team and the squad is ready for their season-opener against Bandari FC on Saturday.
Ali praised Bandari, saying they are a 'well-coached team' that has been 'hitting some top form recently.'
'They should not be taken for granted. They are really a good side but we are Mathare and the fact that we’ve won this league before adds something special to our name. It will be a tough match,' Ali told Citizen Digital on August 30, 2019.
Bandari's coach Bernard Mwalala downplayed the might in his squad, saying they can only be considered title contenders after the first five matches.
Under Mwalala, Bandari have finished as runners-up in back-to-back KPL seasons and made a return to the CAF Confederation Cup, where they are already in the second round.
Their recent four league meetings between Mathare and Bandari have all ended in draws.
