Gor Mahia’s head coach Charles Akonnor voiced his frustrations over the officiating following his team’s 1-1 draw with Ulinzi Stars, which ended their four-match winning streak in the Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKFPL). The match, held at Kasarani Stadium, was marred by a series of controversial decisions that Akonnor believes contributed to his team’s inability to secure all three points.
The game saw Gor Mahia take the lead through Felix Oluoch early on, but Ulinzi Stars equalized with a goal from Boniface Muchiri. Despite a promising start, Gor Mahia were unable to break down Ulinzi’s defense further, and the match ended in a draw, preventing K’Ogalo from overtaking Kakamega Homeboyz at the top of the table.
Akonnor admitted that his team was not at their best, acknowledging a lack of compactness and control in the first half, which he believed contributed to their inability to dominate the game. However, he was adamant that poor officiating played a significant role in the outcome. The coach pointed to several key decisions that, in his view, went against his team and ultimately hindered their chances of winning.
“It was a difficult game, and we were slow in the way we approached the game in the first half. We did not have the compactness needed in the game, and we didn’t have the ball as we had intended to have it more. We have to work on that,” Akonnor said in his post-match comments.
“But it was frustrating also with the officiating as well…it frustrated us a little bit, but it’s okay, we shall go back and do well to improve in the next game. We have to be smart, and it is a clear indication that there are certain areas we need to improve,” he added.
This match is not the first time that Gor Mahia and Ulinzi Stars have been involved in officiating disputes. Previous encounters between the two sides have seen similar complaints about refereeing decisions, further fueling the ongoing debate around the quality of officiating in the FKFPL.
Despite the setback, Akonnor remains confident that his team can regroup and improve their performance in upcoming matches, particularly in midfield, where he feels more compactness and smarter play are essential.
