Kakamega Homeboyz coach takes positives from Al Hilal defeat

By Peter Ochieng

Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKF-PL) side Kakamega Homeboyz head coach Patrick Odhiambo is drawing positives, from the club’s maiden appearance in the Confederations of African Football (CAF) Confederations cup.

Last season, the Kakamega county-based team won the FKF Mozzart cup, after a 1-0 win over Tusker FC in the final, earning a place in the Confederations cup.

Odhiambo’s charges were paired against Al Hilal Benghazi of Libya in the preliminary round.

During the first leg played at the Nyayo national stadium on 19th August, Al Hilal forced a 0-0 draw against Homeboyz.

The Kenyan team went down 4-1 against the hosts in the return match 27th August.

However, Odhiambo is not feeling sorry that his side lost, insisting that there are a lot of positives to draw from the experience.

“We have learnt the lesson, though the hard way. But I am happy my players are satisfied with our journey despite ending at the first hurdle,” Odhiambo told a local newspaper, speaking publicly for the first time about the CAF Confederations journey.

He said they would have won the match had his players taken their chances especially during the first leg at home.

“We needed to win the game convincingly in the first leg at home but my players wasted numerous chances. Had we won the first meeting, then we could have qualified ahead of Al Hilal.”

The coach said matters were made worse by lack of some dependable players, who did not travel to Libya due to lack of visas.

“But it was a big challenge for us, especially travelling minus some of our players because they would not be able to get visas; and the reception we received in Libya was not the best, to say the least. We were not accorded a good reception as we did to them when they landed in Nairobi.”

Homeboyz players now shift their attention to the first match of the 2023/2024 season, where they face newly promoted side Murang’a Seal.

Seal defeated fellow newcomers Shabana FC in their first match of the new season, last week.