Shabana FC head coach Ahmed Fathi has admitted that he was not entirely satisfied with his team’s performance despite securing a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Mombasa United in a five-goal SportPesa League encounter at Mbaraki Sports Club.
The Glamour Boys looked to be cruising towards victory after building a two-goal advantage, but Mombasa United fought back to restore parity, forcing Shabana to dig deep before eventually claiming all three points.
Fathi conceded that his side struggled during the encounter, insisting that the result was the biggest positive to emerge from the match rather than the overall performance.
“To be honest, the best thing that happened today is that we took all three points. They have a good team, and we struggled in this match. I’m not entirely satisfied with our performance,” Fathi admitted.
ALSO READ: Shabana claim second win of the season to deepen Mombasa United’s SportPesa League woes
The Egyptian The tactician, however, praised his players for their fighting spirit, while taking personal responsibility for the team’s shortcomings and acknowledging the need for further improvement.
“The boys were absolute warriors today; they fought relentlessly. Any shortcomings in the team fall on my shoulders, and it is up to me to find solutions. But congratulations to them for securing the victory. Now we draw a line under this and build again,” he added.
Fathi also addressed his substitution decisions, particularly the introduction of Derrick Oketch, who went on to score the decisive winner, emphasising that places in his starting lineup would be determined by merit rather than reputation.
ALSO READ Shabana FC edge 10-man Posta Rangers in SportPesa League season opener
“The door is open for everyone. Throughout the week, whoever performs best earns a spot in the starting XI. I don’t care about big names. If a player proves he is number one, he starts. It’s as simple as that for everyone,” he stated.
The victory took Ahmed Fathi’s record after six matches in charge of Shabana FC to two wins, three draws and one defeat, having also overseen two draws and a loss in his opening five matches before the Mombasa United encounter.
Fathi, who made history as the first Egyptian coach to take charge of a SportPesa League club, has now collected nine points from a possible 18.
Click here to register as a SportPesa customer