“At some point, I couldn’t see my players.”
Those were the words of Kakamega Homeboyz head coach Patrick Odhiambo when he was asked the kind of environment his team confronted in Libya last Sunday.
Homeboyz crashed out of the CAF Confederation Cup after falling 4-1 to Al Hilal Benghazi in the return leg of the preliminary round played at the Benina Witnesses Stadium.
The Mozzart Bet Cup champions needed a win or a scoring draw in the return leg so as to progress to the next round, given that the first leg ended in a barren draw at the Nyayo National Stadium.
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Odhiambo, termed the environment at the Benina Stadium hostile, as green lasers, flares and fireworks from the thousands of home fans greeted his players who had lived to witness such on their television sets.
The tactician conceded that the kind of reception his players were subjected to as soon as they emerged from the dugout was the least they expected.
“The home fans made it extremely difficult for us as they lit up all manner of lasers and flares. At some point I could struggle seeing the ball and my players. We struggled to adapt to the environment and by the time we did, it was too late. I can’t blame their fans as they did was expected of them,” he narrated.
Further, the former Gor Mahia assistant coach called out the Al Hilal management for the kind of reception they afforded the visiting team.
Odhiambo alleged that their host was inhospitable and tried all manner of underhand efforts to frustrate his players.
“The reception, travel arrangements and other logistics were poor unlike what we afforded them when they visited Nairobi. They did their best to frustrate us,” he claimed.
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Much as the former Sony Sugar tactician took issue with the reception the team faced in Libya, he admitted that individual errors gifted the home side four easy goals.
“We were punished for Individual mistakes. Their forwards were sharp in capitalizing in the errors we made,” he lamented.
Despite the painful loss which meant that Kenya will no longer have a representative in the CAF inter-club competitions for the remainder of the season, Odhiambo said the team had picked positives and learnt some lessons the hard way.
“The players have learnt a lot from the two matches played. I am sure we will do better if we qualify for such matches next season,” he added.
Homeboyz, quietly jetted back on Tuesday afternoon and will have no time to rest as they are set to take on Murang’a Seal this weekend in a league encounter.
