Fortune Sacco head coach Michael Otimong believes that the team can easily navigate through the second-tier league and in the end, punch a ticket to the Football Kenya Federation Premier League.Fortune defeated Michael Olunga Football Academy (MOFA) 3-0 at Dandora Stadium, to secure return to the second tier after three years.In the 2021–2022 season, Fortune thought they were promoted to the FKFPL as runners-up in the NSL, alongside champions APS Bomet.However, the season was voided, and subsequent legal battles saw them relegated to the third tier.Fortune Sacco fans doing The Poznan after their promotion to the NSL along side 3K FC & APS Bomet FC 📸 @GameNiNinety x @Football_Kenya #FootballKE pic.twitter.com/04FTC6ndWh— FootballKE🇰🇪⚽️ (@FootballKe_90) May 20, 2024 Otimong, who was part of the team along with Kibera Black Stars coach Owen Makokha and Nicholas Omasete, was hired at the start of the second phase of the campaign to lead the Kirinyaga-based team back to the NSL.In an interview with Mozzart Sport after achieving this goal, the Ugandan coach expressed his ambition to get to the top tier after a season.”Our target is to get back to the Premier League. We had achieved this before but, unfortunately, did not get a chance to kick a ball in the league. The NSL is a tough league, but I will try to keep the boys focused and aim for a quicker elevation to the top tier,” he said.Fortune Sacco’s Elias Mugane reflects on team’s resilience after FKFPL promotion nullificationOtimong also suggested that the team’s last-day stumble against Omax, which saw them miss automatic promotion despite leading the log heading into the final day, motivated them to perform exceptionally in the playoffs.”After losing to Omax in Mombasa, the players were mentally affected. I used that defeat to upgrade their mentality, and in the end, they have something to smile about,” he added.Reflecting on their journey to the second tier, Otimong acknowledged the challenges of the third division. He emphasized that creating a cohesive environment among the players, management, and technical bench was key to their success.”When I joined the club, I had one mission: to take them to the NSL. The team was in good shape, but the pressure was mounting. I had to foster understanding among us, and fortunately, we believed in each other, which changed our mentality to a winning one,” he continued.##NAJAVA_MECA_8109476##With the 2023/2024 FKF Division One season concluded, third-tier supporters’ focus now shifts to the NSL, where Mulembe United, Silibwet Leons, Kajiado, and Gusii FC are battling for survival in the relegation zone, with the bottom three set to join the Division One in their respective zones.
