AFC Leopards head coach Fred Ambani has revealed that the absence of sensational winger Ovella Ochieng in their match against Murang’a SEAL contributed to their failure to secure all three points on Sunday.
Ochieng, who can also play as a forward, missed the action on Sunday when Ingwe were held to a 1-1 draw by SEAL at the Dandora Stadium.
He sustained an injury during a training session just a day before the match.
Ambani acknowledged that missing the influential player, who has been crucial in helping the team score, especially from set pieces, was a setback in the match.
“Today, there has been a lapse in some areas, especially due to the absence of Ovella. We have suffered because we are now used to playing around him, and his injury occurred just a day before the match, so he couldn’t make it. Therefore, I was forced to use another player in his place,” Ambani said after the match.
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He further noted that bringing in Julius Masaba, who scored the team’s lone goal, was a challenging task, but Masaba performed admirably despite his lack of recent match time.
“I can say the one I brought in to replace Ovella played well today, but it was a makeshift decision. It wasn’t something I had prepared for; it was an abrupt decision,” he added.
“You know, when a player stays out for a long time without playing, there’s a lot he lacks, like match fitness and game awareness. But Masaba played well today despite being away for so long, so it’s a plus for us because he scored.”
Ambani emphasized that he would work to ensure that the team has strong replacements in every position to avoid relying too heavily on a single player.
“It’s a positive thing to see Masaba deliver as it gives other players a chance to play because we can’t depend on just one player. We have to bring others in as well, so it’s something I will work on—to ensure that, without him, we have someone else who can step into that role,” he said.
He concluded by mentioning that Ovella would likely be sidelined for about a week but could return sooner than expected.
“We expect him to be back after a week,” Ambani concluded.
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