Levis Opiyo opens up on first Wazito start a day after signing

It was perhaps more of a shocker seeing goalkeeper Levis Opiyo named on the Wazito starting 11 when the team sheets were announced ahead of the highly billed Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKFPL) clash pitting Tusker and Wazito.

The former Gor Mahia custodian arrived at Wazito after terminating his contract with the defending league champions in January. During his stay at Gor, Opiyo never played any match since signing for them at the start of the 2020/2021 season. That meant that he had not played in any game since early last year.

Speaking to Mozzart Sport, Opiyo credited his coach Francis Kimanzi for trusting him with a starting berth after just training for three days at his new club, despite not appearing in any match for close to 11 months,

“It is a big sign of trust to me from the coach. If you get a coach who believes in you like that you are not supposed to take it for granted. My aim is to keep putting in the work and to continue pushing myself to the limit. Of course, it’s not easy. But I believe in hard work from right training upto the pitch. I don’t like favours or relaxing. But that’s the coach’s job to decide who starts in a game. I’m really grateful for the opportunity I was given,” noted Opiyo

Opiyo opened up and gave his thoughts after the game on how he felt about how things unfolded leading to his debut.

“I feel good because Wazito is a good team. It has the philosophy that I always want. I have previously worked with the coach and I know what he wants when playing. I love playing from the back and that is the philosophy of the coach. So that’s what inspired me because I’m that kind of player,” said Opiyo on why he chose to sign for Wazito.

Wazito went on to lose that game in the last action of the second half after Tusker’s John Macharia weaved his way in the box and scored to put some blemish in Opiyo’s maiden game at Wazito.

“I’m not panicked at all. The game was good, football is ninety minutes and we tried our best in the whole ninety minutes but it was just some little concentration in the dying minutes but I know the next game will be better,” concluded a very calm Opiyo.

The goalkeeper will be hoping for a better game when he next takes on his former employers Gor Mahia in the league on Saturday, February 6.