Gor Mahia head coach, Charles Akonnor, shared his thoughts following the 1-0 defeat to Tusker FC at Wang’uru Stadium in Mwea, Kirinyaga, highlighting several challenges his team faced during the match.
Akonnor began by acknowledging the subpar condition of the pitch, stating, “Of course, we did that because of the field of play. The field was bad, and again, I don’t want to complain but why this game was brought here, I don’t know.” He further expressed the team’s disappointment, but emphasized that they must accept the result in good faith.
“We’ve lost, but we have to take it in good faith. We’re going back home to plan for our next match. It has been difficult enough to come here and play,” Akonnor explained.
Despite the loss, the coach remained positive about his team’s performance, saying, “That is not us. The style of play, we tried to manage it. But honestly, even then, we were able to do one or two combinations. We created chances. We had chances to score.”
A major talking point for Akonnor was the penalty decision, which he felt was unjustly denied. “We had a penalty too, which was unfairly refused to be given to us.” he said, whil watching the footage of the incident. Akonnor was adamant that it was a clear penalty, arguing, “He had (Patrick Essombe) the ball, he’s ahead of him, and of course, he’s still in control. And then, of course, this is a clear penalty. But the referee, unfortunately, saw it differently.”
Despite the frustration, the coach remained focused on the bigger picture, stating that the team would continue to fight for the title. “It’s now been seven matches, and we’re just two points ahead of the second position. Just? It’s not just. I mean, two points, we can win the league,” he said. “Today, if the league is over, we’ve won. We will continue with the momentum and try to get better results in our next match.”
Akonnor also took the time to praise his players for their efforts throughout the season, especially considering this was their first loss. “In this year, this is our first loss. So just think about it. We’ve done very well. And it’s not a situation where we look at it and maybe criticize the boys. They’ve done very, very well to this level,” he said.
Addressing the concerns around the playing surface, Akonnor stressed the potential dangers the pitch posed to the players. “It’s dangerous for the players. If you twist your leg, the field is so bumpy. It’s not healthy for the boys. They need to have a good field to play football.”
The coach also pointed out the global coverage of the match, emphasizing that the quality of the venue was critical. “This is a live match covered worldwide. So I don’t know. But it shouldn’t be an excuse. We’ve lost. We had a penalty that was refused. But in all fairness, it’s OK. We’re going back, and we are still on top.”
With their position still secure at the top of the table with a two-point lead, Akonnor concluded, “We will manage to work hard so our next match we win. And then we’ll look at the next matches.”
The team now looks ahead to their next match, with hopes of bouncing back and maintaining their title push.
