Mathare United will be looking to offer a swift response to midweek heartbreak when they take on Gor Mahia on Saturday at Nyayo Stadium.
The lads suffered a heartbreaking loss to Shabana on Wednesday at the same venue in Nyayo, as a late winner with only seconds left on the clock saw the Glamour Boys earn a 1-0 victory.
Saturday’s late kickoff against the league leaders, who were not in action in midweek, comes just 72 hours after the loss to Shabana.
Despite having a full week to prepare for this clash, Kevin Ouru believes that Gor do not have an advantage and that he and his teammates will be ready to offer a response.
“It might seem unfair that three days later, after the loss to Shabana, we are again on the pitch. But it is better this way as there is no time to dwell on what is now water under the bridge,” Ouru, who was denied a ninth clean sheet of the season by George Orako in the Shabana game, said.
“Gor might seem better off as they have had much time to prepare, but this isn’t an advantage. I can say we are better off, as we are the ones who were more recently in action. They have slowed their momentum as it has been a while, a full week since they were on the pitch.”
Ouru, who has been one of the more constant figures in Joh Kamau’s line-ups, was left dejected by the loss against Shabana and, to help calm his nerves, he restrained himself from social media after the final whistle.
“It was a cruel way to lose, and after a game like that, you tend to think a lot, trying to replay the situation to see what you would have done better. Sitting with my family always calms my nerves, so after the game, I went home and kept my phone away. It was only the next morning that I briefly went through social media. Having a game immediately after also plays a big part in keeping the group tightly together,” he said.