- Bandari FC coach Ken Odhiambo remains confident his side will bounce back, despite early setbacks in the 2025/26 SportPesa Premier League season.
- The coastal outfit is yet to register a win this campaign, following a surprising 0-1 home defeat to Shabana FC on Sunday at Mbaraki Stadium.
- Bandari began their season with a goalless draw against Kariobangi Sharks, leaving them with just one point from their opening two fixtures.
Bandari FC coach Ken Odhiambo has stated that it is far too early to judge his team’s performance based on the two matches they have played so far in the 2025/26 Sportpesa League.
This comes after the team suffered a disheartening 0-1 home defeat to Shabana FC at the Mbaraki Sports Club on Sunday, September 28.
Despite controlling the run of play and creating numerous chances, the coastal outfit was made to pay by Brian Michira, who capitalized on their one clear opportunity.
The result means Bandari have now gone two matches this season without a victory, following a goalless draw with Kariobangi Sharks in their opening fixture.
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Bandari FC coach Odhiambo remains confident in his strikers
Speaking to Azam Sports TV, Odhiambo acknowledged the team’s profligacy in front of goal but remains confident there is still ample time to turn their fortunes around.
“About not converting the chances we are getting; I can say it is a process. The boys are trying their best in the final third. Maybe I should be worried if they don’t get to the final third, but because they are, I’m positive the goals are coming and we will manage to score,” Odhiambo explained.
Bandari FC coach Ken Odhiambo analyzes the Shabana defeat
Reacting to the loss, the former Harambee Stars assistant coach described it as a game where clinical finishing made the difference. He firmly believes it is too early in the campaign to draw conclusions about their title credentials.
“Football is a game of chances. In fact, Shabana did not create many opportunities; they got just one and they made it count. This is a marathon. We will continue to fight – no giving up. At this moment, you might be starting slow, but at the end of the race, you finish at the top.”
The match presented a further challenge when Bandari were forced to play with ten men for the final ten minutes after William Gitamu sustained an injury, having already exhausted all their substitutions- a situation Odhiambo described as frustrating.
“It was also a disappointing day because we had injuries. William Gitamu was injured and we were forced to finish with ten men because we had completed our substitutions.”
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A lesson learned and a look ahead
Odhiambo insists the team cannot pin the loss on any one individual, calling it a collective defeat. He stated their immediate focus is to go back to the drawing board and address their shortcomings.
“All in all, this is a lesson learned. We will ensure we go back to the drawing board and see where we went wrong. We still have many matches to go to redeem ourselves.”
“We can’t really blame anyone or any player for the loss today. We have played as a unit and we have been defeated as a team, so it’s about ensuring we bounce back in the next match. We take the positives and go back to rectify the negatives.”
Bandari will be looking to bounce back and secure their first win of the season when they host Murang’a SEAL on Saturday, October 4, at the Mbaraki Sports Club.
