- Sofapaka coach Ezekiel Akwana has blamed the match official for denying his team maximum points in their 1-1 draw against AFC Leopards.
- Sofapaka and Ingwe shared the spoils in their SportPesa League 2025/26 season opener, held on Saturday at the Ulinzi Sports Complex.
- After finishing seventh last season, Akwana has set his sights on a top-five finish — with hopes of even breaking into the top three.
Sofapaka head coach Ezekiel Akwana has blamed the match officials for his side’s 1-1 draw against AFC Leopards in their Sportpesa League 25/26 opener on Saturday at the Ulimzi Sports Complex.
Playing their first league match away, Sofapaka broke the deadlock through Satala Djafari just five minutes into the game, before Boniface Kweyu equalized moments later.
The result extended Batoto Ba Mungu’s dominance over an opponent they haven’t lost to since 2020, stretching their unbeaten streak against Ingwe to 11 matches.
Akwana’s tactical approach allowed his team to hold AFC Leopards at bay
Speaking to the press after the match, Akwanna emphasized that executing his game plan, scoring early – was achieved, though he felt the officials undermined their efforts.
“My game plan is always to ensure I get quick goals in the first 20 minutes. We scored within the first five minutes, and we tried to repeat that in the second half, but the referee collapsed our strategy,” Akwana said.
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He also revealed that despite overhauling the squad with 21 new signings, the team has gelled well under his philosophy.
“There is no difference between last season’s squad and this one because the philosophy remains exactly the same. The new players have adapted quickly and blended in seamlessly during the preseason.”
Sofapaka coach Ezekiel Akwana blame the match official for costing his team maximum points
The former Leopards player felt the referee was biased, disallowing a valid goal and awarding questionable fouls that disrupted their momentum.
“We got one point away, but I believe we deserved all three. We had a goal wrongly ruled out. The officiating was biased – you saw the advantages he kept giving in situations where nothing was warranted. I blame the match officials for denying us the victory.”
Sofapaka are targeting a top-five finish this season
After finishing seventh last campaign, Akwana has set his sights on a top-five position possibly even breaking into the top three.
“My target is higher than last season. We aimed for the top eight and finished seventh. This year, we’re pushing for the top five – and one, two, and three are also in the mix. That’s what we’re going for.”
Sofapaka’s next match is against Gor Mahia on Saturday September 27. Both teams will be seeking their first win of the season after Gor suffered a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Bidco in their opener.