The second last hurdle to the continental CAF Confederation Cup awaits the much hungrier side between Tusker and Ulinzi Stars who will face each other at Nyayo National Stadium on Saturday afternoon for a place in the final of the 2022/2023 Mozzart Bet Cup.With the winners of the cup competition guaranteed a place in next season’s second tier continental competition, at least in the preliminaries, Robert Matano’s Tusker and Bernard Mwalala’s Ulinzi Stars head into the competition in contrasting fortunes for the semifinal tie.An exciting Saturday showdown is on the cards! ⚽️💥Here are the #MozzartBetCup thrilling matchups:✨ @tusker_fc vs @UlinziStarsFC ✨ @FcHomeboyz vs @AFCLeopards Who will emerge victorious? 🏆 Don’t miss a minute of the drama and join us at the stadium 🙌🏟️ pic.twitter.com/e8KjU9RnSD— Mozzart Bet Cup (@FKFCup) May 18, 2023 Tusker, four time winners of the competition, currently top the Football Kenya Federation Premier League table and still have another shot at continental football should they win the league title that will automatically qualify them for the CAF Champions League.Ulinzi Stars on the other hand, who have never won the cup in their history, walk into the last four clash with all their hopes in one basket. Sitting in eighth place on 44 points, 20 behind Tusker with only four games remaining, the Soldiers have no mathematical chance of winning the league title, leaving them with everything to play for in the knockout tie if they are to once again taste continental football.##NAJAVA_MECA_7268608##Speaking ahead of the matchup where the winner will be determined over extra time and even through penalties should the need arise, Matano asked for elevated levels of focus from his team in their quest to bag a league and cup double this season.“It is going to be a tough game. Ulinzi are a tough side, solid, organized, aggressive and have good experienced players. The most important thing for my team is consistency. We are going to approach the game with one mind – and that is to play and win,” the experienced coach said.Up next, we turn our attention back to Cup business this Saturday.#KenyaMilele #Brewers4Life pic.twitter.com/5UtprIfnwI— 🏆Tusker FC (@tusker_fc) May 16, 2023 On top of only losing only one game out of the eighteen they have played since February (W14 D3 L1), the Brewers will be further buoyed by their impressive run against the Soldiers who have failed to beat them since 2019 if the league head to head is anything to go by.That form notwithstanding, Mwalala only had one advise to their players should they want to win the tie.Tactical Analysis: Where Ulinzi-Tusker clash could be won and what to expect”We expect a tough game. Tusker is a big team, they currently top the league, they have an experienced coac and we know that they are determined to get a double so we do not expect an easy game.It will be a difficult one, which means we have to be at our best if we are to progress to the final. We need to support each other, communicate and fight until the very end,” Mwalala said.Tusker secured their place in the last four after registering a 2-0 victory over KCB on 29 April thanks to goals from David Odoyo and Deogratious Ojok while Ulinzi Stars saw off a tricky opponent in Sofapaka on post-match penalties after playing out to a 1-1 draw at the Police Sacco Stadium on the same day.Just who will make it to the final?The match kicks off at 1200EAT.
