Respected Kenyan sports journalist Mike Okinyi has stated that Nigeria’s CAF Champions League campaigners Lobi Stars were a totally clueless team when they played Gor Mahia of Kenya in the first round first leg tie of the CAF champion’s league game on Sunday.
Okinyi who works for Citizens TV In Kenya in a chat with Babafemi Raji on Brila fm’s flagship program Sports Machine stated that they were shocked at how badly composed the Nigerian team was. “If you watched the game, you’ll be crying for Lobi. Forget the goals you saw those were just goals. You didn’t see the missed chances. Lobi were wiping the floor with their jerseys. It could have easily been 7 – 1 or 8 -1.
It was not the Lobi stars we expected in Nairobi. We gave Lobi Stars too much respect and within the first five minutes everyone was asking which Lobi stars is this one. In five minutes they were totally shambolic. There was no structure, there was no defensive formation, they were just kicking the ball back and forth.”
With Lobi failing to live up to its hype, Gor Mahia decided to turn up the heat. “After seeing this Gor Mahia gained confidence and thought this was not the lobi we expected and then they attacked. And just on the first attack they got a goal. Lobi got an away goal yes but it was due to poor marking from Gor Mahia but in the next couple of minutes they were three goals up and that was just in the first half. I don’t know how lobi survived the second half.”
Head coach of Lobi Stars Solomon Ogbeide after the loss said he is confident Lobi will cancel out Gor Mahia’s advantage when they come to Nigeria and playing on an artificial turf will be an advantage for Lobi.
Reacting to Ogbeide’s comments, Okinyi said Lobi will be shocked I they feel playing on an artificial turf is an advantage. “Let me inform you. Gor Mahia has two training pitches, one is the natural grass while the other is artificial. Immediately they finished that game and because they know Lobi plays on artificial grass, they already started training there. In fact they have been training and playing their matches on artificial turf for the last one month.
Gor Mahia last two matches have been on artificial turf. They won one and drew the other. 4 – 0 and 1 – 1. So the fact that Lobi Stars think the ground is going to affect them is a no no. The players are currently training in high altitude and Nigeria’s heat will even be like cold to them. For Lobi Stars to get two goals they must attack at for the structure we’ve seen of them, Mahia will score in no time.
They must be very careful how they approach the game because the pressure is on Lobi Stars not on Gor Mahia because they know what to do and they know where to hit Lobi Stars.” He said.
