Division 2 side Amani Youth FC intensified their preparations ahead of the upcoming promotion play-offs for Division 1 slots with a 3-all draw against premier league side Muhoroni Youth.Amani, coached by former Muhoroni Youth forward Calvince Omanga, got its goals through the individual brilliance of Ronald Ligavo, the forward netting all three of Amani’s goals.Omanga says this is just the beginning of their preparations having given his boys a one-week break when the league ended.‘’The season was a long and competitive one so the team needed a little rest because we know the play-offs will be tough,’’ he told Mozzart Sport.‘’Playing some of the top teams within reach ensures the boys are well prepared for the leaders of the other three zones when the time comes. We didn’t want to underestimate anyone because all of them come as leaders in their respective zones,’’ he added.##NAJAVA_MECA_8148149##Division 2 is divided into four zones and with Amani claiming pole position in Zone D, three others join the play-offs whose dates are yet to be officially announced.Gucha Youth, Kapkatet United, and Vickers FC are the other contenders for the prestigious Division 1 slot.Omanga has total faith in his boys and only rues the delay in the annunciation of the dates.‘’Coming out the top of our league was no mean feat and I give credit to the players who threw everything they had in some very tough games. Maintaining a winning momentum was very key,’’ he adds.‘’There was an initial communication that two weeks after the league’s conclusion we would head into the play-offs but that does not seem to be the case. For us, the extended time gives us more space to sharpen a few areas.’’Omanga, however, says he has to sometimes break up camp owing to the fact that most of his players; half a dozen are part of the Kisumu East select side set to play in the Moses Kuria country-wide tournament that has taken the region by storm.Former Vihiga Bullets midfielder guides Vision to promotion in RwandaIt’s something to keep them fit and busy though, he admits.‘’So long as they are actively playing, that’s good enough for me as a coach. In any case, we all don’t yet know when the play-offs will take place so we wait,’’ adds the man who doubles up as the Kisumu Boys high school coach.The four-team promotion contest will take place at the IAAF Bomet stadium, with dates yet to be out.In the event Amani finds its way up, this will be another news welcome to many fans in Kisumu who recently had two women’s sides; Kisumu All Starlets and KISPED Queens gain promotion into the FKF Women’s Premier League.Kisumu All Starlets react after promotion to Women’s Super LeagueIt will also restore the gaping hole left in Division One by fallen giants Kisumu Hotstars.Amani finished three points ahead of TBM Health Club in the league whereas Hotstars were a distant 6th.Omanga, who has traversed the Kenyan top flight with Muhoroni Youth and Kisumu All Stars as a striker, is assisted by Evans Ochieng at Amani in the technical bench.
