Shabana FC head coach Sammy Pamzo Omollo has blamed injuries suffered by his side after going 0-1 down to Sofapaka in round five of FKF Premier League action.
The win was Sofapaka’s first in the season and according to Omolo, Shabana has been dealing with injuries and sickness in the last two weeks prior to the clash.
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“In the last two weeks, we’ve been dealing with sickness and injuries,” Omollo said. “Mathew Tegisi and Darius Msagha had to play through painkillers, and while they tried their best, it wasn’t enough. Maasai and Raila weren’t fully fit either, and I think these issues contributed to us not getting the result we wanted.”
Despite these setbacks, Shabana put up a fight but found themselves undone by an early goal. Ugandan Douglas Ochoko netted the only goal of the match, converting a free kick to give Sofapaka the lead in the opening minutes.
Omollo acknowledged that the early goal unsettled his side and made it difficult for them to settle into the game.
“We conceded early, which destabilized us. From there, we struggled to settle, especially in midfield, where we weren’t combative enough or winning our duels,” he reflected.
The Shabana coach had hoped to exploit the flanks through Cliff and Muchiri, but Sofapaka’s disciplined defense thwarted their efforts.
“I expected us to be sharp on the wings, but Sofapaka did a good job locking us out. We tried to switch things up by bringing on Mazembe, and there were flashes of promise, but it wasn’t enough,” Omollo noted.
As the game progressed, Shabana grew more desperate, often resorting to long balls in search of an equalizer, but the tactic proved ineffective.
“We started playing long balls, especially in the second half, but it wasn’t helping the team. Even when we’re down, we need to stay calm, and today we didn’t manage that,” Omollo admitted.
Omolo will be hoping to forget the outing as they have another tie against Kariobangi Sharks in two days.
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