Shabana FC head coach Peter Okidi has explained what his side needs to improve if they are to challenge for their first-ever FKF Premier League crown, following a hard-fought draw against record champions Gor Mahia on Sunday.
The match, played before a large crowd, was closely contested, with both teams enjoying spells of dominance but struggling to convert their chances into goals.
Neither side managed to find the decisive moment, and the encounter eventually ended level, forcing the two teams to share the points despite their desire to walk away with all three.
The draw momentarily pushed Gor Mahia to the summit of the league standings on 27 points before AFC Leopards surged back to the top after a commanding 4-0 win over Tusker FC. Shabana remain fourth with 24 points.
After the final whistle, Okidi acknowledged that the result was deserved but felt his team should have done more, particularly given their recent home loss to Nairobi United. He admitted that a lack of sharpness in attack remains Shabana’s main shortcoming.
“It has been a fair result for us, although we wanted maximum points, considering we are coming from a loss here against Nairobi United. We dominated the entire game and were excellent in all departments except the attack, which we are going to work on because we need to score goals,” Okidi said.
Shabana have now suffered four league defeats this season, all of them on home soil, but the former Nakuru Bucks coach is confident the stalemate against Gor Mahia signals a change in fortunes.
“We have disappointed our fans here at home, and I believe this is the last time Shabana will fail to win at home. We will fight and work hard to win our home matches and combine that with away victories, and that will put us in a good position to win the league,” he added.
Gor Mahia head coach Jonathan Akonnor also reflected on the contest, describing it as tight and physical, and expressed satisfaction with securing a point away from home, particularly at a challenging venue.
“Both teams did not create many big chances, so the game could have gone either way. It was important that we did not lose because Shabana at home is a difficult team. The second half was better, the fighting spirit was good, and the boys did well. We are content with the result,” Akonnor said.
Gor Mahia will be back in league action on Wednesday when they face Murang’a Seal, a side currently enjoying a strong run of form after going ten matches without defeat.