Ulinzi Stars assistant coach Francis Onyiso has attributed his side’s 3-1 defeat to Gor Mahia to missed opportunities in front of goal and costly defensive mistakes, admitting that the soldiers paid heavily for their inefficiency during the SportPesa League encounter played on Sunday at the Ulinzi Sports Complex
Ulinzi Stars had moments in the game where they could have turned the tide, but their inability to convert chances allowed Gor Mahia to take firm control of the contest.
Speaking after the match, Onyiso expressed frustration at his team’s lack of cutting edge in the attacking third, insisting that failure to capitalize on several promising opportunities ultimately handed the advantage to their opponents.
“We had issues with our scoring. We created a number of chances but did not utilize them, and that is why we ended up losing by three goals,” said Onyiso.
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Francis Onyiso laments defensive lapses after Gor Mahia defeat
The assistant coach also acknowledged that defensive lapses made matters worse for his side, noting that the team must quickly address the weaknesses if they are to improve their results in the remaining matches of the season.
“We will go back to the drawing board and also look at our defence because this is one of our biggest losses. The defensive mistakes cost us today, so it is something we have to look into ahead of our next game. We also need to be more clinical in front of goal,” he added.
Gor Mahia started the match brightly and took the lead early on after referee Hamisi Isaac pointed to the spot in the seventh minute when Shariff Musa was brought down inside the area by Bildad Abonga.
Ghanaian midfielder Enock Morrison calmly stepped up and converted the penalty in the ninth minute to hand K’Ogalo the early advantage.
Shariff Musa continued to be a constant threat down the flank and played a key role in Gor Mahia’s second goal. His cross from the left flank found substitute Patrick Essombe, who made no mistake as he tapped the ball home in the 68th minute to double the record SportPesa League champions lead.
Essombe then turned provider seven minutes later when he set up Musa, who finished neatly in the 75th minute to make it 3-0 and effectively seal the victory for Gor Mahia.
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Ulinzi Stars managed to pull one goal back late in the game. In the 86th minute, Edward Odhiambo rose highest to head home from a corner delivered by Bonface Muchiri, but the goal came too late to spark any meaningful comeback.
The defeat was a significant setback for Ulinzi Stars as it marked their 13th loss of the season. The soldiers remain deep in the relegation zone with just 19 points from 24 matches.
So far this season, Ulinzi Stars have managed only four wins and seven draws, scoring 20 goals while conceding 29. They currently sit 17th on the league table, just above bottom-placed Sofapaka.
With only ten matches left before the season concludes, the pressure is mounting on the soldiers to turn their fortunes around quickly if they are to avoid dropping out of the top flight.