Shabana head coach explains reason for draw against Tusker
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Reading Time: 3min | Mon. 06.10.25. | 18:49
Despite picking a point on the road, the former Nakuru Bucks coach said the draw left a bitter taste in the team
Shabana FC head coach Peter Okidi rued his team’s 1-1 draw against Tusker FC at Kasarani Stadium on Sunday, attributing it to the loss of star man Brian Michira, who limped off with a groin injury in the first half.
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The Glamour Boys’ perfect record in the FKF Premier League was brought to a halt by an Ian Simiyu strike 11 minutes from time.
Austin Odongo had opened the scoring for Shabana with a first-half goal, but Simiyu, who came off the bench, ensured that the points were shared, denting Shabana’s ambition to maintain a fine run.
The team had opened their 2025/26 FKF Premier League season with two victories against APS Bomet and Bandari FC.
Apart from dropping two points, the team lost talisman Michira to injury. The player had been nursing a groin issue that had forced him off against Bandari and was largely doubtful for the Tusker game, but he nonetheless started before being stretchered off midway through the first half.
In his post-match interview, Okidi said that the team lost its rhythm when the attacker, who has three goals to his name this season, went off for Ugandan winger Bronson Nsubuga.
“The team and medical staff had deemed him 100 per cent fit, so when he got injured, it was a big blow because the team is built around him. The game plan had to change, and that’s why we ended up less effective,” he said.
He, however, credited Nsubuga for what was largely a good cameo while admitting that the team dropped its standards in the second half in the build-up to the Brewers’ equaliser.
“The player who came on still did his job, and the goal came from his side. In the first half, we dominated, but we did not have such a good second half. It’s not good for us that we didn’t get maximum points.”
Despite picking a point on the road, the former Nakuru Bucks coach said the draw left a bitter taste in the team, as the plan was to collect all nine points before the international break.
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“We feel like we lost two points. When you want to win the championship, you cannot concede such goals.
We wanted to go into the international break with all nine points. Last season, we dropped out of the title race because of drawing games like this.”
He, however, welcomed the international break, saying it will give Michira time to recover and also allow the team to work on their finishing.
“It will help us reset, recover, and hopefully get Michira back fit again. We were not very effective in the final third, and that’s something we must work on before our next game.”
Shabana will host joint table toppers Posta Rangers after the international break.
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