Gor Mahia head coach Charles Akonnor could not hide his delight following his side’s 3-0 demolition of KCB at the Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
In a match where many expected Robert Matano’s side to provide a tough challenge, the league leaders instead produced a first-half masterclass that effectively ended the contest within 45 minutes, moving them six points clear at the summit of the SportPesa League.
Speaking after the final whistle, the Ghanaian was quick to praise his side’s explosive start. Despite a 20-minute delay due to a heavy downpour, K’Ogalo looked the sharper side from the onset.
“We were very, very excited with the way and manner we scored the goals in the first half. We decided to be aggressive in our style of play because we didn’t want to give them any chance to control the game and we did that very well,” Akonnor remarked, reflecting on a period where goals from Enock Morrison, Shariff Musa and Samuel Kapen tore the Bankers apart.
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Gor Mahia boss Akonnor heaps praise on team after KCB dismantling
Akonnor highlighted the team’s philosophy of forward-thinking football as the recipe for the three-goals
“For us, when we gain possession, it’s about going forward, forward passing. We need to get them in a quick manner and attack quickly,” he explained.
Having weathered earlier season stumbles, including a derby defeat in December, Akonnor believes his players have finally developed the resilience required of champions.
Addressing the mounting pressure from chasing teams, he remained confident in his squad’s psychological edge.
“In football, there’s always pressure and we like it, it’s a healthy one. The team that have the nerves to keep going is a team that probably will go far,” he said.
Comparing the current squad to the team he inherited, Akonnor noted that the evolution of their character has been the most pleasing aspect of their 11-match unbeaten streak.
“They are very, very confident. They have mental toughness, if you look at three, four, five months ago we will be a little bit worried, but now we are very confident,” the coach concluded.
With the Posta Rangers midweek match initially scheduled for Thursday pushed back to 5th March, Akonnor now has a valuable window to recover before their next outing against Ulinzi Stars.