WITH multiple friendly games scheduled for Azam FC before the outfit gets back to action in domestic showdowns, head coach Youssouph Dabo has noted he aims to build confidence in his players.

Dabo previously said some of his players lack confidence when they have the ball and cannot keep it under their control for a long time, something that they managed well in the first round.

Azam FC- who beat Yanga 2-1 before the international break- is optimistic about keeping pace with the latter, now the league leaders, and keeping title hopes alive.

He said after playing a friendly match against Zanzibar's Zimamoto FC, he is out to get his players fit and preparing for the upcoming matches to have the same rhythm and flow.

The Senegalese coach asserted that during the friendly games, he is focused on his team's development instead of the results they pick.

According to the Senegalese, the 2-1 win over Zimamoto FC has helped him see his outfit's shortcomings and work on them because he aims at winning important games in the league.

He has said that what he is looking for is the attention of his players in every area- including defense and attack- to ensure that they clinically use the available opportunities whilst seeing to it they do not allow any goal.

"Our friendly game was very important, we don't look at the results but what I gave them in the training ground, my strategy is to do well in the games that are in front of us- starting with the clash versus Namungo FC, we want to play with control and win the game," Dabo noted.

"Few games have remained to determine the outcome of the league, and we want to win something this season to have a clear view upon next season, but it all begins now,” the Senegalese revealed.

“My players, including fringe players, are showing me what I want to see them produce on the pitch at the moment.”

He has added that he is happy to see that some of the injured players are back to their fitness and have started to return to light training, which gives him hope to have a variety of types of players.

"The injured players who started training are our defender ‘Sebo’ (Abdallah Kheri), he has started light fitness training," Dabo noted.

"Sospeter Bajana and Navarro (Franklin) who are supposed to be out for four months, both have already served one month of rehabilitation and have three left to return to the pitch."

Technically Bajana and Navarro are out for the rest of the season for the ice cream makers with the domestic season slated to end in the next two months.

Azam FC is sitting second in the NBC Premier League with 47 points after 21 games- picking wins in 14 matches, notching five draws, and suffering two losses.