AFC Leopards head coach Cassa Mbungo has apologized to the club soccer fraternity for their dismal performance against their arch rivals Gor Mahia during their weekend Mashemeji Derby staged at Kasarani.
The Rwanda tactician admitted the boys did not display their current brand of football that has seen them register exemplary performance.
He seemed to blame his players following the result which left many of their fans frustrated.Mbungo attributed his player’s poor show owing to individual mistakes.
“I take responsibility for the defeat,We lost to a better side. We were playing against a team that has been playing in continental matches,” he said.
“Their players are battle hardened compared to my players who were accustomed to our local League. We had come to give them a challenge but they were better than us.
“I will ask the office to provide a good budget so that we can make good signings at the end of the season. That is the only way we can compete favourably against Gor.”
However, the Rwanda tactician has urged the club management to open their purse and purchase top quality players even if it will require to pick some few competent foreign players.
This is the second time in three months that Gor Mahia is beating Leopards in the league this season.
A keen look at the numbers and statistics coming from recent derbies, however, suggests that this fixture is fast losing its flavour.
Correct figures on stadium attendance are difficult to come by but it is clear that stadium attendance during the Mashemeji derbies has dwindled awfully.
Sunday’s derby, where K’Ogalo won 3-1, was one of the very well attended derbies in the last three years, but still the Kasarani Stadium venue was nowhere near full.
Gor Mahia coach Hassan Oktay openly criticised his opponents for not offering his team a good challenge.
“This did not look like a derby. I can’t believe it. Apart from the numbers it is impossible to know that this was a derby. We dominated the game, we created and missed many chances, were able to play great football. They (Leopards) didn’t give us the expected completion,” observed Oktay.
A draw in their next match against Vihiga United in Machakos on Wednesday,Gor Mahia will see them get crowned SportPesa Premier League champions for an unprecedented 18th time and with two games still left to play.
