NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 19- Yanga assistant coach Juma Mensah says the team handed Gor Mahia goals on a silver platter, admitting that the record Kenyan Premier League champions were better than them in their Wednesday evening CAF Confederation Cup match.
Gor came out 4-0 winners with Ivorian forward Ephraim Guikan scoring twice adding on to Jacques Tuyisenge’s opener while Hajji Mwinyi scored an own goal.
“It is a painful loss especially allowing in four goals. The first two were gifts handed to them on a silver platter. There was too match ball watching. We failed to track our opponents thinking it was offside and it was not,” the tactician said after the loss.
His sentiments were echoed by skipper Juma Abdul who was visibly crestfallen after the result which essentially puts them in a must win situation for all their remaining three games of the campaign.
“We made mistakes in defense and allowed the goals but I hope we have learnt and also the coaches have taken notes on what we need to do to improve in the return game,” Juma said.
The two sides lock horns again in 10 days’ time at the National Stadium in Dar Es Salaam and a loss will all but end Yanga’s campaign in the competition.
The team is however still holding on to faith that they can win all their remaining games and squeeze in to the quarter finals. The top two teams in the pool advance to the last eight.
“It is possible especially if we can get a result on the 29th against Gor. We will be at home with our fans behind us which means more confidence. Also, there are some new players who were not yet registered for this game but hopefully by then it will be sorted,”
“We have three remaining games; two at home and one away and I still believe we have hopes. Anything is possible in football and if we can win all the three games, we stand a chance.” Captain Juma said.
Meanwhile, coach Mensah hopes that some of the players who were left behind will be available for the game, but says he will only field players who want to play. Raphael Daud will be back from suspension while the likes of Kevin Yondani and Nadir Haroub might be available as well.
“It is not right to start talking about players who are available or not. There are some who are suspended and will be back and we will also look at who is ready for that match. We have picked the points we need to work on and I believe we will be much stronger even in terms of personnel in the return leg,” added the coach.