Maina terms Mathare's win over Police in pre-season friendly as morale booster

Mathare United assistant coach Jeff Maina believes that their 4-3 win over Kenya Police in a friendly match played last week will inject confidence and morale in the team ahead of the start of the new season.

The Slum Boys shocked the Football Kenya Federation Premier League side last Saturday at the Police Pavillion, rallying from three goals down to level matters and net the winning goal.

Going by the rift of class and quality of players between the two teams, Police were expected to wipe the floor with Mathare but that was not the case.

Maina said the team will build on the win over Police and sharpen the weak areas identified during the match so as to be fully ready for the new season.

Mathare will be playing in the National Super League in the new season after their 25-year-long stay in the top flight ended last term after finishing in the red zone.

"The win is definitely a morale booster to the young boys whom we have signed. It will give them the belief that they can beat anyone in the league," said Maina.

The tactician returned to Mathare last month for a second stint and will be deputising Leonard Odipo who was appointed as the head coach.

Ulinzi Stars acquire new sponsor

The first task the technical bench was handed was to recruit a new team after the club lost nearly all the players who did duty last season.

Maina said that they had managed to constitute a new team that was at fifty per cent ready for the Super League season scheduled to start next month.

"We recruited young players who a majority of them have not even played in the Division One league. We are trying our best to get them ready for action. The boys are willing to learn and see the team get back to the top flight," added the former Naivas coach.