Gor Mahia Coach Reveals Major Concern After 'Funny Mistakes' Cost Them Against Tusker

Gor Mahia coach Charles Akonnor has criticised his side for making costly and avoidable mistakes during their 3-1 defeat to Tusker FC in the FKF Super Cup at Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday, August 23.

Gor Mahia endured a difficult afternoon defensively, with Francis Oduor, Eugene Ikutwa and Ian Simiyu finding the net for Tusker.

An own goal from Ikutwa briefly pulled Gor Mahia back into contention, but the Brewers restored their two-goal advantage and held firm to secure the victory.

The defeat has left Akonnor and his technical bench with plenty to address as Gor Mahia continue their preparations for the new season and their defence of the FKF Premier League title.

Speaking after the match, Charles Akonnor admitted that Gor Mahia’s defensive shortcomings were a major concern following their loss, with the coach attributing the result largely to avoidable errors made by his players.

The Ghanaian tactician explained that the problems were no longer something the team could dismiss as part of experimentation, stressing that Gor Mahia have moved beyond the stage of simply assessing players and combinations.

He noted that the players selected to start the match were among those he trusts to perform and who are firmly in contention for regular roles as the new season approaches.

Charles Akonnor said his side fell below the required standard in several aspects of the game, particularly in their defensive organisation and execution.

He expressed concern that individual lapses have become a recurring issue and believes they directly contributed to the goals Tusker scored.

With Gor Mahia preparing to defend their FKF Premier League title, Akonnor stressed the importance of addressing those weaknesses immediately.

He made it clear that the technical bench must find a solution quickly to prevent the same costly errors from undermining the team's performances once the competitive season gets underway.

“We made funny mistakes, and out of that we conceded goals. It is becoming a little bit of a problem, and we have to solve it quickly before anything happens. We are not testing; we have gone past testing,” Charles Akonnor said.

“Today, those who started are players we can close our eyes and say they should play; it’s not about testing. We didn’t do well in certain areas of the game, especially when we were defending, and that has affected us today. In fact, the goals that they scored were a result of individual mistakes, and it has been happening a lot. We want to be quick to solve that problem before anything else.”