Okidi delights in perfect tactical strategy behind Shabana's maiden league victory

Shabana interim head coach Peter Okidi breathed a huge sigh of relief after his new team finally got off the mark on Sunday with a gritty 1-0 victory over fancied Kenya Police at Gusii Stadium.

Having kick-started their season on a completely different tangent to how they closed out their previous campaign, Vincent Nyabuto’s first-half strike seemed to take off a gloomy cloud hovering over the Glamour Boys, with Okidi overstating the win as one that they had “waited for years.”

In reality, it was the first time Shabana had registered a Premier League victory since late June when they closed out their comeback season with a 1-0 win over Murang’a Seal.

Speaking moments after their maiden win this term, Okidi, previously of Nakuru Bucks, said: “This is the product of the work we have been putting in. The effort from all the players was evident and this victory goes out to them, and to the fans that stood with us today.”

Shabana arrest Kenya Police to register first win of season

On top of Nyabuto’s goal and Darius Msagha’s man-of-the-match performance, the other player that stood out in the game was James Mazembe, who made a worthwhile return to the starting eleven after being benched in their previous tie against Nairobi City Stars.

Deployed as a left wing-back, the former KCB man put in a proper shift on both ends of the pitch, and it was from his left boot that Nyabuto fed from, sneaking in between the Police center backs to nod a 35th minute header past Patrick Matasi.

On Mazembe, Okidi said: “He is one of our most intelligent players and what stands out is his uniqueness especially when coming from behind. He is one of our tactical pieces for this weekend and I am glad that the strategy we worked during the week paid off perfectly.”

With a new technical bench consisting of former KCB coach Bernard Mwalala and Osborne Monday in place, Okidi added that the win signified the “start of our season.”

“A message out there is that after the international break we are coming in as a different team, and we want to build on this game and finish as high up the table as we can,” he said.

Following the international break, Shabana has a meeting with the aforementioned Murang’a Seal before hosting AFC Leopards on 27 November.