Gor Mahia head coach Leonardo Neiva has voiced his concerns regarding the tactics employed by El Merreikh Bentiu following a challenging match in the CAF Champions League.
Neiva openly criticized the South Sudanese team for their time-wasting strategies during the first-leg encounter in the CAF Champions League preliminary round. The match, held on Sunday afternoon in Juba, concluded with a narrow 1-0 defeat for the Kenyan champions, setting a difficult stage for the second leg at Nyayo National Stadium.
The decisive moment came in the 63rd minute when Mohamed Musa scored for El Merreikh, altering the game’s dynamic and prompting what Neiva described as tactics that undermined the spirit of the competition.
“In the first half, the game was competitive and fair for both teams. However, the second half painted a different picture. Regrettably, I must express concerns that don’t bode well for African football. This type of match, where a team stops playing aggressively after scoring, especially if the team from South Sudan scores first, effectively ends the game. They show no interest in continuing to play, which is disappointing for the spirit of African football,” Neiva lamented.
Neiva’s frustration was evident as he discussed El Merreikh’s behavior after they took the lead.
“Today, the need for more added time was clear. We needed at least seven minutes, not just four. Four minutes is not enough—it’s almost a joke. Congratulations to El Merreikh, but the second leg will be in Nairobi, and we expect a different approach to the game there. I was really surprised by the outdated style of play we saw today. The game should be won fairly on the field—no underhanded tactics or unfair play,” he added.
Despite the challenges, Neiva acknowledged some positives from his team’s performance, particularly in the first half, and remains optimistic about the return leg.
“There were positives in the first half where we played very well. My hope is that we can raise the level of play moving forward. In the second half, after they scored, Merriekh resorted to long balls. We adjusted our tactics slightly and pushed forward. Unfortunately, we didn’t score, but we are prepared for the next game and ready to adapt our strategy,” he stated.
The upcoming rematch in Nairobi promises to be a heated encounter as Gor Mahia aims to overturn the one-goal deficit and secure a spot in the next round of the competition. The aggregate winner of this tie will face the reigning and record champions Al Ahly, with a highly coveted place in the group stage on the line.
