KPL: Okere terms Shabana draw a sigh of relief for Tusker
By Joel Masibo, October 6, 2025Tusker FC head coach Charles Okere has termed his side’s 1-1 draw against Shabana FC in the fourth round of the Kenyan Premier League played at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, on Sunday, October 5, 2025, as a sigh of relief for the Brewers.
Ahead of the Sunday’s encounter, Tusker FC were in desperate search of their first win of the current campaign after falling 2-0 to KCB in the league opener, losing 2-1 to Posta Rangers and sharing spoils with the 2008 Kenyan Premier League winners Mathare United, with a 0-0 stalemate. The particular string of mixed results marked a shaky start to the season for Okere’s charges in the country’s 2025/2026 top-flight league.
However, with his job seemingly at risk, Charles Okere was elated after substitute Ian Simiyu came off the bench to cancel Austine Odongo’s 20th minute goal in the 77th minute, salvaging a crucial point for the former champions.
”God is great! It was a tricky fixture, but He gave us the strength to fight till the end. The first-half goal killed our morale, but we talked to the boys during the break, and we made changes that bore fruit. A vital point on the road, this is a project that we are working on. Pressure has gone down, and stopping an in-form team like Shabana is not an easy thing. Going into the international break, we will rectify our mistakes, especially at the back, because we are conceding in every match,” Okere said.
Simiyu promises more
Reflecting on his first goal in black and yellow colours, Ian Simiyu said his goal is a massive encouragement to keep putting in the work. The former Nzoia Sugar FC talisman believes it is just the start of a flurry of goals with the Brewers.
The forward joined Tusker midway through last season from a second-tier side, where he was the top scorer, but took a while to get his footing.
Simiyu has, however, unlocked what promises to be a streak, after coming off the bench to score a leveller in a 1-1 draw against the Gusii-based outfit at Kasarani Stadium on Sunday evening.
“I am really delighted because I have been praying and working so hard for this moment, and I am delighted it has come. Even when I was coming on, I had the belief that I could do something to help the team. I believe this is the start of better. This is one of many more goals and assists to come,” Simiyu said in his post-match remarks.