Nicholas Muyoti rues costly second-half retreat as Police held by Gor Mahia

Head coach Nicholas Muyoti has pointed to a costly drop in intensity as the defining factor behind Kenya Police FC’s failure to secure maximum points against Gor Mahia in Sunday’s FKF Premier League encounter at Nyayo Stadium.

Police appeared in control for large spells after edging ahead in the first half, but a passive approach after the interval allowed the reigning giants to seize momentum and eventually snatch a late equaliser.

Muyoti acknowledged that while his side executed their tactical plan effectively early on, their decision to retreat invited unnecessary pressure that ultimately proved decisive.

“Tactically we were on point except for the second half where we did not get it right. We sat back in our half and invited them to attack us, which eventually proved detrimental. Otherwise, I am proud of them, they defended well even though they should not have sat back,” Muyoti said.

The breakthrough arrived in the 22nd minute when Brian Chonjo capitalised on a chaotic situation inside the box. A deflected freekick from Eric Zakayo ricocheted through a crowd of bodies before falling kindly for Chonjo, who bundled the ball home to give the law enforcers a deserved lead.

However, Gor Mahia, under the guidance of Charles Akonnor, steadily increased the pressure as the contest wore on. Their persistence paid off in the 86th minute when Ebenezer Assifuah reacted quickest to a loose ball in the area following Shariff Musa’s delivery, finishing from close range to restore parity.

With Gor Mahia camped deep in Police territory during the closing stages, Muyoti turned to his bench in a bid to regain control.

Changes included the introduction of Edward ‘Ondimo’ Omondi, Baraka Badi, Marvin Nabwire and Yves Koutiama, as he sought fresh energy and attacking impetus.

Despite the late setback, Muyoti dismissed suggestions that the substitutions disrupted the team’s structure, insisting they complemented the side’s overall approach while highlighting a need for sharper cutting edge in the final third.

“The subs were good because they came in at a time when we were dominating possession although going forward, we were lacking the punch needed to make an impact. That is something we also need to work on,” he said.

The result leaves Kenya Police third on the table with 58 points, their title ambitions now mathematically over with three matches remaining.