Tusker face stern Al Hilal test in CECAFA Kagame Cup return
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Reading Time: 2min | Sun. 26.07.26. | 08:27
The Brewers are five-time CECAFA Kagame Cup champions and one of the competition's most successful clubs.
CECAFA Kagame Cup action enters its third day on Sunday, 26 July, with two fixtures scheduled to conclude the opening round of matches as Kenyan representatives Tusker FC begin their Group C campaign against Sudanese giants Al Hilal SC at Amahoro Stadium.
The Brewers will be eager to emulate fellow FKF Premier League side Gor Mahia, who announced their arrival at the tournament in style with an emphatic 5-0 victory over Rwanda's APR in Friday's opening fixtures.
For Tusker, Sunday's encounter also marks a long-awaited return to the regional championship after nearly a decade away.
The Kenyan heavyweights will be looking to make an immediate impact as they chase a place in the knockout rounds.
Head coach Julien Mette has, however, urged caution, acknowledging that the team is still building fitness after a delayed start to pre-season preparations.
"The expectation is to get out of the group and reach the semi-finals, which would be very good. But because of the late start to our pre-season, we have to be realistic and take it game by game," said Mette in an interview with the club.
Tusker head into the competition carrying a rich pedigree in the tournament. The Brewers are five-time CECAFA Kagame Cup champions and one of the competition's most successful clubs.
Their last triumph came in 2008, and lifting the trophy this year would secure a record-equalling sixth regional title, matching Tanzanian giants Simba SC.
Standing in their way, however, are another regional powerhouse and fellow five-time champions, Al Hilal, who arrive at the tournament with ambitions of going one better after narrowly missing out on the title last year.
The Sudanese outfit reached the 2025 final before suffering a 2-1 defeat to Tanzania's Singida Black Stars, a result that left them with unfinished business heading into this year's edition.
With only the winners of each of the three groups guaranteed automatic qualification to the semi-finals, every point carries significant weight from the opening whistle, making Sunday's clash a potentially defining fixture in the race for the knockout stage.
The clash, the first-ever meeting between the two sides in the CECAFA Kagame Cup, promises to be a high-intensity Group C contest, with both Tusker and Al Hilal determined to lay down an early marker in their pursuit of regional glory.