Gucha Stars players at Gusii Stadium/ANGWENYI GICHANA

National Super League side Naivas ended a seven-game winless streak with a 1-0 victory over Talanta, a result their coach Elvis Ayany says will boost the players’ confidence.

“The win was a breakthrough for us. We had gone seven games without scoring. It was a huge relief for the boys because they were working hard, creating chances, but not finishing. The win meant a lot for the players—you could see it from the celebrations,” Ayany said. Former Nairobi City Stars striker David Agesa scored the lone goal for Naivas, and he echoed his coach’s sentiments.

“It was a very important win. We have redeemed ourselves and will come back stronger after the Christmas break. We are ready to push on,” Agesa said. Ayany is optimistic about the league resuming on January 10. “The boys are now motivated. We are back on track. I believe the rough patch is behind us,” he noted.

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For Talanta, coach Jack Gatheru attributed the loss to fixture congestion.

“We have played four games in eight days, travelling to Mombasa and Kisumu. This led to fatigue for the players. I have a young team that is learning,” Gatheru said. 

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He added that finishing will be a key focus after his players squandered five clear-cut chances.

Meanwhile, Mombasa United and Gucha Stars were embroiled in a dispute over an abandoned Division One match at Mbaraki Stadium on Saturday.

Gucha Stars said they arrived at 11 am for a 1 pm kickoff but were denied access. The Kisii-based side said the match had originally been scheduled for Sunday, and they had agreed to Saturday in good faith. “

Our logistical plans, including travel bookings, were aligned with this timeline. It was surprising that the home side, despite rescheduling us, did not know there was another Division One match at the stadium,” Gucha Stars said.

Mombasa United, however, accused Gucha Stars of unprofessional conduct, stating that the kickoff had been moved to 3 pm during a joint pre-match meeting with FKF officials.

 “Mombasa Stars and match officials were ready for kick-off, but after 45 minutes, the game was declared abandoned in line with FKF rules,” the club said.