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The Brewers look to have turned their season around following a blip.
Tusker FC have bad memories of the last time they played Bandari for a couple of reasons.
Firstly, Tusker were beaten 2-1 at the Mbaraki Stadium in January; secondly, that match was played under highly hot conditions still witnessed in the coastal part of Kenya.
The Brewers will meet the Dockers again at Ruaraka Stadium on Wednesday, 8 March, with kickoff set at 3 PM.
Since January, so much has changed at Tusker as three of their players who started against Bandari are no longer in the picture because of injuries and losing their places.
Rodgers Ouma and Humphrey Mieno are not yet back to full fitness despite being named in the team squad in their domestic cup game against Berlin FC.
Defender Isaac Kipyegon also started back then, but he is currently serving a suspension for suspicion of participating in match-fixing.
Lawrence Luvanda and Stewart Omondi are the two players most likely to start against Bandari from the team that lost to in Mombasa.
Tusker, however, are different from the side that was beaten in early January, and they have been looking better in recent matches.
In league action, Tusker were impressive in their last two matches. They beat Mathare 2-1 and Posta Rangers 1-0.
The Brewers were involved in some action last weekend when they walloped Berlin FC 7-0 in a domestic cup clash.
Robert Matano, Tusker coach, was happy with the performance ahead of the match against Bandari.
"The result is a motivation to us but we are going to face different challenges and we have to get prepared for that. All in all we are heading in the right direction in terms of title defense," the gaffer said.
But the fact that Tusker are placed fourth and separated from ninth-placed Bandari by just seven points makes this an intriguing clash.
Tusker have collected 17 points from nine home matches this season, and they have not lost any game they hosted at Ruaraka.
On the other hand, Bandari have accumulated nine points from eight away matches this season in the league, and they were held to a 2-2 draw by Wazito FC in their last game on the road in mid-February.
Bandari's latest acquisition Joe Waithera will be on the cusp of being unleashed against Tusker by coach Antony Kimani.
Waithera joined the Dockers during the mid-season transfer window after parting ways with Sofapaka. He has one goal this season, which he netted in a game against Bandari FC at the Mbaraki Grounds as his former side fell 2-1.
Ugandan Umaru Kasumba has been outstanding in the Bandari squad, and he will likely partner with Waithera in the hunt for goals against the Brewers.
Coach Kimani has confessed that his attack needs to up their game in the season's second round.
"We have been having difficulties with our forward line this season. We have been creating chances but we have not been able to convert them," said Kimani.
In the head-to-head stats since the 2014 season, Tusker and Bandari have clashed in 20 league matches.
The Brewers have registered eight victories compared to seven of the Dockers, while five matches ended in draws.
Looking at Tusker's home record against Bandari, they have registered four victories, four draws, and one defeat in nine matches at Ruaraka.
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