Murang'a Seal coach Dennis Odhiambo wants his free-scoring side to keep their goal machine humming when they welcome Mathare United to SportPesa Arena on Sunday.
Odhiambo's men have shown a sharp appetite for goals this season, but the coach knows that attacking fireworks must be accompanied by a watertight defence if they are to collect maximum points against the struggling Slum Boys.
"We want to make our home ground a difficult place for visiting teams. Mathare are coming here looking for points, but we must set the pace, dictate the game and make our intentions clear from the first whistle," said Odhiambo.
Seal are eighth on the table with eight points from six matches, while Mathare are 17th with five. The hosts have 13 goals, the highest tally in the competition, but have also conceded 11, exposing cracks that Odhiambo will be eager to seal.
Their latest outing offered both encouragement and a warning. They fought from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Ulinzi Stars, with Josephat Lopaga and Mark Mwaniki finding the net late in the contest.
"We showed character to come back against Ulinzi, but we cannot keep giving ourselves mountains to climb. We must start games better and take control before the pressure builds," Odhiambo said.
He is expected to stick to his attacking 4-2-3-1 formation, with Lopaga leading the line and the wide forwards stretching Mathare's backline.
"We have players who can hurt opponents in the final third. What matters now is making the right decisions, being sharp in front of goal and ensuring we do not leave ourselves exposed at the back," he added.
Odhiambo is particularly wary of Mathare's ability to frustrate opponents and strike on the counter.
"We must be patient when they sit deep, but we cannot become predictable. We need to move them around, create spaces and punish them when opportunities come," he said.
Mathare coach David Ouma believes the trip to Murang'a presents an opportunity to stop the bleeding after consecutive 2-1 defeats against Ulinzi Stars and Posta Rangers.
The Slum Boys have managed just four goals in six matches.
"We know the challenge ahead of us, but we cannot travel to Murang'a with fear. We have to compete, believe in our ability and fight for every ball," said Ouma.
Mathare are expected to deploy a compact 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3, with a packed midfield designed to frustrate Seal's attacking combinations before releasing their wide players on quick counterattacks.
"We must close the spaces between our lines and avoid giving their attackers room to turn. If we allow them to settle into their rhythm, we shall make the afternoon difficult for ourselves," he said.
Ouma wants his forwards to sharpen their finishing after a difficult run in front of goal.
"We have to be more aggressive in the final third. It is not enough to reach good positions; we must have the conviction to finish the opportunities we create," he added.
"Every player has a responsibility. We must work for one another, stay in the game and show that we can compete against any team in this league."
History gives Seal the psychological edge. They are unbeaten in four previous league meetings, winning twice and drawing twice. They have scored six goals against Mathare's two, with both matches played in Murang'a ending 1-1. Seal won their two visits to Mathare by identical 2-0 margins.
