Gor Mahia coach Johnathan McKinstry believes that his team still has a chance to regain leadership of the FKF Premier League and eventually win the league campaign despite losing 2-1 against AFC Leopards on Sunday.
K’Ogalo’s quest to clinch a record 20th league title suffered a massive blow after goals from Victor Omune and Maxwell Otieno gave Ingwe their first victory against them in seven years and helped Tusker to keep the top spot on the 18-team table.
The Brewers under coach Robert Matano had jumped to the summit after defeating Karibangi Sharks 1-0 in another hard-fought battle at the same venue on Saturday.
McKinstry has refused to panic now that the Brewers are in control of the log with four matches to go insisting they will rectify the situation.
“We have to go back and reflect [our defeat to AFC] but the guys must pick positives because we played a really good football on [Sunday], the lads played a very good game, I think we created a lot of chances and I don’t think any of my players had a bad performance,” McKinstry told People Daily Sports.
“It is just one of those days, football can be cruel sometimes, so players will recover now and get ready and look the first majority of the season we have been chasing, for the last eight to nine games we have been on top, but the majority of the season we have been chasing, so look we know Tusker have a point ahead but what a great opportunity to rectify that in a couple of weeks’ time.”
McKinstry rued the team’s missed penalty from lead striker Benson Omalla and further faulted the match officials for denying his side what he termed as a clear penalty in the second half.
“We are very disappointed, we created a lot of chances, the AFC Leopards goalkeeper Lucas [Opiyo} pulled a couple of great, great saves, we could have possibly had another penalty, we missed a penalty,” added McKinstry.
“I think if you at the replay on TV when Benson [Omalla] is through in goal in the second half and he is definitely pulled back but it was not given.”
“But look, creating chances does not give you three points, it’s about putting the ball in the back, I don’t remember AFC Leopards creating a clear chance outside the penalty and the corner, but look they have scored the goals that get them three points, so we move on to next week and we have got another big game against Tusker.”