Handball: Coach Mwathi outlines Equity's strategy in title-chase

With the Kenya Handball Federation (KHF) Leagues set to resume in February for the 2024/25 season, leaders Equity Bank men's team are hard at work looking to hold on to their place for a maiden title. 

Under the tutelage of renowned tactician Peter Mwathi, the bankers are looking to challenge the status quo, just as they did during last year's Super Cup, and clinch the title. They dethroned the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) in a 30-29 thriller to lift their first national title. 

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"We are headed to the last part of our league under the current format, and this is a crucial stage for all. The strategy is to first work on our goal difference while making sure we drop no points to assure ourselves the title," Mwathi said in an interview with Mozzart Sport.

He continued, "We remain unbeaten after 11 matches, but our closest challengers, NCPB and Ulinzi HC are carrying superior goal differences, which is dangerous for us. They are equally good, and we need to be on par or better, as the league title could easily come down to these differences. With that, the team knows that our defense has to be the best when we resume."

Mwathi's charges are on 22 points, two more than the military side Ulinzi and Brian Matthews-coached NCPB. Four teams, the top three and sixth-placed General Service Unit (GSU), remain unbeaten in the 27-team league that will be split into two in the new season.

"My philosophy is always based on good defense creating better offense, and while we have not conceded many goals, I am not satisfied with our defense. We left some matches too close and should be more convincing in our approach as we now have a target on our back," Mwathi, who led the side to a third-place finish last season on debut, explained further. 

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The team got back in training on Monday 6 after the festive break, with working on fitness the first order of business. The side did not participate in the December East and Central Africa Handball Federation (ECAHF) championship in Kigali where NCPB fulfilled their three-peat dreams. 

"The opening week was about strength and conditioning to get the players back to the desired fitness after a long layoff. In the new week, we get into the technical and tactical aspects of the game, then have at least two weeks of combining everything as we wait for the dates. The boys are in high spirits and, from the opening week, are ready to put in the work to reap the benefits," Mwathi, who also serves as the national team coach, added. 

The team is buoyed by the return of the lethal Brian Murangiri, who has been away in Germany pursuing a postgraduate coaching course. 

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