Mathare United will be seeking to string back-to-back wins for the first time this season when they face Posta Rangers at Ruaraka Grounds at 1 PM.Once colleagues in the national team, Frank Ouna and Stanley Okumbi will face off from opposite dugouts this time around.Perhaps, Ouna will have his cyan cap matching that green shade for Mathare’s colours while Okumbi will be in his red cap for Posta Rangers.The Frank Ouna coached side has been through torrid times this season and has managed only two wins from the 20 matches they have played this season but he says that the team is in high spirits after the win against AFC Leopards.“The win has lifted our spirits in training, the mood has changed. We are as good as our next match, we are not good enough until we play our next match and get a good result,” Ouna told Mozzart Sport.FT: Mathare United 1-0 AFC Leopards 45+’ E.Wethuli #MathareVsLeopards #GreatnessWithin pic.twitter.com/LoMa3mByYh— Mathare United FC (@MathareUtd) June 23, 2021 They will be seeking to build on that win which could see them leapfrog Western Stima and into the relegation playoffs position should they fail to win against Gor Mahia.However, Furo maintains that their focus will be on their game against the Mailmen and not on Stima’s performance.Ouna added that his team will be hoping to get something out of the Posta Rangers duel to kick start a non-losing streak.“If I get a point against Posta Rangers, I will not be too sad. We will have stopped the run of losing games. We need to start on a non-losing streak, not necessarily winning. We won the previous match and if we get a point we can build on that,” Ouna said⚽️| Salim Ali ❌Frank Ouna ✅With the team struggling to get out of relegation territory, find out why @MathareUtd settled on new head coach. https://t.co/atknzTv5yX— Mozzart Sport Kenya (@MozzartSportKe) May 18, 2021 Posta Rangers come into this game on the back of some tepid performance; winning, drawing, and losing in their last three games and their coach admits that it will be a tactical battle.“It is a tactical battle because of our positions, the players, I have been there, I have worked with the current coach while at the national team, we want the three points, and they also do. We will approach this game the same way we have been approaching other games,” Okumbi told Mozzart Sport.Posta Rangers came out victorious in the first leg clash of this fixture and will be seeking to do a league double over the Slum Boys and swap places with Sofapaka to occupy the 12th position.They have been a very defensive side since the resumption of the league in mid-May and have only let in four goals from the five games they have played and Okumbi says he is constantly urging his players to make sure they score in every game.“We make sure that we do not concede, having in mind that it is not easy to score in our league. We are not scoring more as we may play, but I am urging my players to make sure that we score in every game,” the Posta Rangers tactician added.The Stanley Okumbi-side have however been dealt a blow following the injury of Benard Ondiek who has been very instrumental in midfield since joining from Gor Mahia and Kevin Ouma who has stood firm in defence.They will be a compact team, just like any Okumbi team, and having worked with him before, Ouna knows the magnitude of compactness they will be against.Mathare have improved defensively in the games that Ouna has been in charge, conceding seven goals in six matches. At the start of the campaign, they conceded an equal number of goals in only two matches, in the 4-2 loss to Sofapaka on their opening day and the 3-1 loss to Gor Mahia.🟢| HALF-TIMEWe’re level at the break in Ruaraka #KCBvsMathare#BKPL pic.twitter.com/JIlW9ZtEFP— Betking Kenya Premier League (@Officialfkfpl) June 19, 2021 They have been effective mostly in the first half, and have scored three of their four goals under Ouna, including a first-minute goal against KCB in their first leg encounter in May.All the four goals that Posta have conceded within the same period have been scored in the first half and it will be upon Mathare to capitalize on this statistic and get the advantage out of it.Will Ouna guide Mathare to their third win of the season, his second in charge, or will Okumbi extend his record to the fourth win in charge of the Mailmen?
