NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 19 – Gor Mahia head coach Leo Neiva has torn into El Merrikh Bentiu’s ‘time wasting’ antics, after his side’s 1-0 defeat in the first leg of the CAF Champions League first preliminary round in Juba on Sunday evening.
Mohammed El Feji’s 63rd minute goal proved the difference in the match, as the record Kenyan champions were left with work to do ahead of the second leg to be played in Nairobi next weekend.
Brazilian Neiva was particularly critical of how the South Sudanese tried to eat up time after they scored, and said this greatly hampered their momentum.
“The first half was a good game between the two teams. We had three or four clear opportunities, but in the second half it was not good. It was not good for African football how they played especially after they scored,” the tactician said in the post-match press conference.
He added; “They didn’t want to play any more football after they scored and it should have been at least 30 minutes of added time. It is not an excuse, but this kind of tactic of always wanting to slow down play, for me it was a joke.”
“This is old fashioned style of football and they should try to win and try to play football also.”
Gor had some good chances in the first half, with Boniface Omondi seeing a shot go inches wide while Enoch Morrison saw his shot from a good scoring position go wild.
In the second half, the home side stepped up in search of a goal and they were rewarded when EL Feji was quickest to react after an initial shot came off the bar.
The goal gave them some confidence and rallied on by the home fans, they tried to take command of the match.
Gor put in a fight to get back into the game, but couldn’t snatch an all important away goal. They now hope for better tidings when the return leg is played at the Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday.
