Tusker face Azam in a must-win tie in Dar es Salaam

• Kenyan representatives must beat Group B rivals to guarantee a quarter-final slot

Tusker will be fighting for survival when they face Tanzania’s Azam on Saturday in a Cecafa Club Championship Group “B” tie at the National Stadium, Dar es Salaam.

The Kenyan champions must beat the home side to guarantee qualification to the quarter-finals. Any other result will see calculators come out or even the toss of a coin.

A draw will result in all three teams; Tusker, Azam and Mafunzo of Zanzibar ending dead even with two points apiece.

But the type of draw will determine which among the three teams go through to the knock-out stage.
Tusker will be eliminated in the event of a barren draw while Azam and Mafunzo will progress because of a superior goal aggregate of 1 (goals scored) -1 (goals conceded) each.

A 1-1 draw will send Azam through because of a 2-2 goal aggregate while Tusker and Mafunzo, both on a 1-1 goal aggregate, go for the toss of a coin to decide the second group qualifier.

Any draw of two or more goals will see Azam and Tusker through at the expense of Mafunzo.

Tusker coach Sammy Omollo said they had put themselves in a tight corner, but were ready to punch their way out.

Tusker last won Cup in 2008

Tusker last won the tournament in 2008 and they have not hidden their ambitions of returning the Kagame Cup to Ruaraka.

Omollo may consider starting Obadiah Ndege instead of the erratic Dennis Mukaisi, who looked rusty in their disappointing barren draw with Mafunzo on Thursday after his long injury-enforced lay-off.

Ndege looked dangerous when he came in as a second-half substitute and would want to continue from where he left off.

Tanzania’s Simba will face guest team Vita Club of DR Congo in the second match of the day that will decide who joins Uganda’s URA in the quarter-finals.