Why Nairobi United head coach is worried after loss to AFC Leopards
Reading Time: 2min | Thu. 19.03.26. | 18:04
The former Harambee Starlets coach revealed that his decision to deploy a midfield-heavy setup was deliberate, aimed at neutralising Leopards before adding attacking thrust later in the match
Nairobi United head coach Godfrey 'Solo' Oduor is a worried man following the growing injury list in his squad after their 1-0 defeat to AFC Leopards on Wednesday evening.
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Ingwe secured victory at Nyayo National Stadium courtesy of an early strike from Samuel Ssenyonjo, but large spells of the contest saw Nairobi United dominate possession and create chances without reward.
The former Harambee Starlets coach revealed that his decision to deploy a midfield-heavy setup was deliberate, aimed at neutralising Leopards before adding attacking thrust later in the match.
“It was a game plan that we had. We watched our opponents so we knew we needed to contain them in the first half, and then in the second half, we would add some punch. Unfortunately, we were not clinical in front of the goal.”
Oduor opted for a fluid system featuring five midfielders, prioritising control and central dominance. While the approach allowed Nairobi United to dictate tempo, conceding early disrupted their strategy.
“You are right, we started with five midfielders… we wanted to make sure that we contain AFC Leopards in midfield and have a lot of possession, but we conceded an early goal that we never expected, and we were not clinical enough in front of goal. The chances that we created, we lost them.”
Despite introducing width in the second half and creating more opportunities from wide areas, the former Kibera Black Stars tactician remained encouraged by his side’s attacking play.
“No, I'm not frustrated. I'm happy because these are things that we have been doing in training. The only part that is missing is just putting the ball inside the net; it is encouraging.”
The defeat also exposed growing injury concerns within the squad, with several key players either sidelined or struggling for fitness.
“Biko got injured… Lennox has been playing a lot of 90 minutes, so I’m sure he’s experiencing some tired legs… it is a worrying trend, the injury list is growing now.”
The former Jamus SC assistant coach also pointed to the absence of key attacking options, particularly on the wings, as a factor affecting the team’s final output.
“Ovella is one of our key players… missing such a player for almost two months is really worrying. But Omala is also coming back, we hope in future maybe we will have an opportunity to see the two of them starting and also finishing 90 minutes.”
Despite the setback and the growing gap at the top, Oduor refused to rule his side out of the title race, maintaining belief in the team’s direction.