When the AFC Leopards play Nzoia Sugar on October 29 at Sudi Stadium, head coach Thomas Trucha is optimistic that they can win and put an end to the problems at the den.

His words follow his team's 0-1 loss against Bandari at Mbaraki Sports Club in Mombasa, which put his team in 17th place with four points, level with Sofapaka at the bottom on goal differential.

Trucha feels that the Leopards ought to have won the game on Sunday by at least a point.

"What next is that we are playing another game in a week's time and so we should quickly go back home, do our homework and fix our mistakes," he said.

Trucha has been with his players for less than a week and says he'll need time to learn and understand his players better, a process he says will be gradual.


"I have met the players for a few days and I'm still learning about them. The game today has showed me a lot and so I believe that the next game will be better as we target the three points," said Trucha.

Young central defender, Bakari Randie of Ingwe, made a back pass to goalkeeper Humphrey Katasi, but the pass was intercepted by the opposition, resulting in Bandari's goal, which Derrick Nsibambi stabbed home. Following the disastrous error, Trucha defended his young defender.

"It was tactical, that for the first half, we started more and more defensive, managed the game and did not concede. In the second half we expected them to start intensively and unfortunately our young central defender made a mistake and I said I can't kill him or substitute him.

He has accepted his mistake and I will have to support him to bounce back strongly in the next match," Trucha added.

Leopards have a week to train for the Nzoia game as they seek their first win to kickstart their season.