Round 22 of the FKF Premier League 2022/2023 season saw AFC Leopards come up against Tusker FC in a mouthwatering encounter, despite falling by a late solitary goal to the brewers. AFC Leopards tactician had a plan and in this piece we look at how he set his team up to face the ever tricky Robert Matanio coached Tusker FC.Team StructuresTusker FC Tusker set up in a 1:4:4:2 structure with emphasis on early crosses, aggression in duels, quick balls into the channels and playing for set pieces. Coach Robert Matano set his side out with Brian Bwire between the sticks. The left fullback was flying new signing Odhiambo Levin, who has a peach of a left foot while the right back position was occupied by Kenya International Sakari Daniel. The centre back pairing was of Tom Teka and Momanyi Charles with Humphrey Mieno and Ouma Rodgers in the midfield area.Out on the flanks was Oduor Michael and Njuguna John with Siwa Saphan and Otieno Eric tasked with getting the goals for the Brewers. AFC LeopardsAFC Leopards set up with Levis Opiyo in goal. Peter Thiong’o and Eric Mbithi in the fullback positions with the combative Mudenyu Robert paired with the silky Kaycie Odhiambo. In the absence of Musa Oundo, Giovanni Lukhumwa was tasked with the sitting midfield role with Brian Wanyama tasked with the box to box role. In the advanced midfield position Mukangula Eugene was selected over Saad Musa as the front three consisted of evergreen Cliff Nyakeya, Victor Omune and the livewire Jaffari Owiti. Tusker grab late win over AFC to move closer to leaders Gor Mahia##NAJAVA_MECA_7161283##From goalkicks AFC Leopards looked to go long due to the very aggressive Tusker press led by Siwa Saphan and Otieno Eric who looked to go man for man. AFC shot stopper Levis Opiyo opted for long balls in the channels and knock backs to recycle play. When AFC Leopards were able to build out from the back Coach Patrick Aussems had clear instructions for his charges, limit distances and pass closer to each other. AFC Leopards used Levis Opiyo as the extra centre back with Kaycie Odhiambo staying close while Mudenyu Robert and Eric Mbithi stayed in the wide positions. Levis Opiyo looked to dribble the ball out a little from his area to attract pressure from the Tusker offensive players to free the incoming Giovanni Lukhumwa and Brian Wanyama. Siwa Saphan looked to cut passing lanes to the incoming midfielders or back to Kaycie Odhiambo by putting pressure on Levis Opiyo. In this build up phase there was the use of Cliff Nyakeya as a major wildcard to destabilize the Tusker backline, he could be seen drifting inwards between the lines to create space for the overlapping Peter Thiong’o, this was a frequent pattern. AFC Leopards looked to lay emphasis on overload to isolate scenarios as with Tusker looking to compress play to one side of the field AFC Leopards would look for quick switches of play to the ball far side to attack the depth. Coach Patrick Aussems came out to dominate the midfield and in ball players like Giovanni Lukhumwa, Brian Wanyama and Eugene Mukangula he could do it, the team with the inversion of Cliff Nyakeya looked to create passing options for the ball carrier. AFC Leopards however looked to lay emphasis on creating of chances and possibilities of 1v1 scenarios on the wide areas, main man Victor Omune looked to break and lie heavily on the left side with Jaffari Owiti with a midfielder coming to the same side to create possibilities of an overload 2v3, with Brian Wanyama key in this facet of play. Again? Aussems escalates war of words with Tusker’s MatanoAFC Leopards without possession looked to press high with their set out pressing triggers. They looked to press in a 1:4:4:1:1 shape when Tusker looked to build out from the back,in the buildup phase with Humphrey Mieno or Ouma Rodgers dropping to progress play. When the Tusker Centre backs split in buildup Victor Omune would look to make a curved run to cut out progression from one side, when one of the Tusker midfielders dropped deep to progress this would see Eugene Mukangula jump to press.In their low block AFC Leopards set up in a 1:4:5:1 with Giovanni Lukhumwa screening the backline while the outlets were Jaffar Owiti and Victor Omune. With the threat of Tusker wing man Njuguna John, who was the main outlet for Tusker with Oduor Michael on the other side and Siwa Saphan dropping between the lines, AFC Leopards looked for proper communication in switches and coming out on top on 1v1 duels , also Tusker with the threat of Levin Odhiambo on throws and the keen eye for a killer pass by Humphrey Mieno always looked like a dangerous side. Matano fires back at Aussems, claims he is a failureWith Tusker emerging victors, their goal coming from a good spell of possession, Coach Robert Matano’s charges have now well and truly stamped themselves in the title race conversations, as for AFC Leopards it was a masterful display that did not have the required result, with a strained squad they will look to do better in their next game against Kenya Police FC.
