Gor Mahia head coach Leo Neiva has expressed frustration over what he described as El Merrikh Bentiu’s deliberate time-wasting tactics during their 1-0 loss in the first leg of the CAF Champions League preliminary round, played in Juba on Sunday evening.
The match was decided by Mohammed El Feji’s 63rd-minute goal, leaving the Kenyan champions with a challenging task ahead of the return leg set for next weekend in Nairobi.
Neiva, a Brazilian tactician, was particularly critical of the South Sudanese side’s approach after they took the lead, accusing them of deliberately slowing down the game, which he believes disrupted his team’s rhythm.
“The first half was a competitive encounter between the two teams. We created three or four clear opportunities, but the second half was disappointing. The way they played after scoring was not good for African football,” Neiva remarked during the post-match press conference.
He further added, “After they scored, they seemed more focused on running down the clock than actually playing football. In my opinion, there should have been at least 30 minutes of added time. While it’s not an excuse for the loss, this kind of tactic to slow down play is outdated and quite frustrating.”
Neiva urged for a more modern approach to the game, emphasizing that teams should aim to win by playing football, not by stalling the match.
During the first half, Gor Mahia had some promising chances, with Boniface Omondi narrowly missing the target and Enoch Morrison sending a shot off-course from a good position.
In the second half, El Merrikh Bentiu intensified their efforts and were rewarded when El Feji capitalized on a rebound after the ball struck the bar, netting the decisive goal.
Buoyed by the support of their home crowd, El Merrikh Bentiu sought to control the match following their goal. Despite Gor Mahia’s efforts to find an equalizer and secure a crucial away goal, they were unable to break through.
The Kenyan side will now turn their focus to the return leg at Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday, where they hope to overturn the deficit and advance in the competition.
