With a tough clash looming against resurgent Kariobangi Sharks on Sunday, Mathare United coach Salim Ali is eager for his side to cut out the mistakes that saw them suffer their fourth Kenyan Premier League loss of the season at the hands of Western Stima.
Ali decried his charges inability to maintain their explosive start cost them the game and that will need to change against the fleet-footed Sharks youngsters.
“We allowed Stima to get back in the game by not taking our chances in the first half. We could have been three or four goals up by half-time but we let it slip up and were made to suffer the consequences,”rued Ali.
The loss which left a bitter taste in Salim’s mouth saw Mathare stay number 10 in the KPL table with 21 points—13 adrift of league leaders Tusker. Ali urged his charges to respond in their next game against Sharks.
“When you score as early as we did, it puts even more pressure on yourself because you now have more than 80 minutes to defend your advantage and try and add to it. Especially when playing away it is even more harder to do."
“This must be corrected and I want to see a response against Sharks. We are on an inconsistent path and it has to stop,” he said. The first leg of the ‘Slum Derby’ played in September in Machakos ended in a barren draw.
