The tactician feels the young players are ready to challenge after another disappointing campaign
Sofapaka head coach David Ouma has hinted at going with a team made up of young players from next season after being impressed by the display of his side during Wednesday’s 2-1 win over AFC Leopards.
Youngster Jacob Onyango scored both goals for Batoto ba Mungu, the second one a goal of the season contender, with Sofapaka adding to Leopards' woes.
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The Slum Boys’ 25-year top flight stay came to a crashing end while the Kenya Police striker moved ahead of Gor Mahia’s Benson Omala in the Golden Boot race
Onyango was not the only change made with Ouma also shuffling his backline which had the likes of Brian Wepo, Nickson Omondi, and Emmanuel Otieno while there was also an opportunity for midfielder Austine Wahongo and the tactician feels he has seen enough to suggest that the youngsters are ready.
“I have given all the new players who are playing the Premier League for the first time opportunities. This game is to see what they can do next season. I want to have a skeleton team that can start the first game in August,” Ouma said.
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The defender joined AIK back in January 2020 and has scored 13 goals and three assists in 86 games.
“The ball was played along the diagonal box which saw Leopards score which was the responsibility of one of my defenders as it put the goalkeeper in a difficult situation. We have talked about this because these are the balls we have conceded a lot and lost our momentum but I believe players keep learning.
“It’s a new orientation, the team that you saw in the starting lineup is our preparation for the new season. I sign the players and I have given all of them an opportunity to play like today Austin (Wahongo) is continuing to grow.
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This is not the first time that the Belgian tactician has left the team before the end of the season as he has done so in his previous two campaigns.
“I want to show that the younger players that we signed can play in the Premier League, they just need to have the nerves to win games. Today, Jacob Onyango has been learning from Roddy Manga but what a way to introduce yourself and score two goals. He should be chasing Benson Omala for the golden boot.”
Sofapaka are 11th on the table with 41 points having experienced another indifferent season but Ouma claims they would be title contenders had they been a lot more consistent.
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K’Ogalo lost three points that would have given them a huge advantage in the title race.
“This season we have not had momentum, if you look at all the title contenders, they have had momentum. Nzoia, Gor Mahia and Tusker started slow but caught up momentum and are now title contenders. As a coach, if we would have won against City Stars in February, I would be a title contender,” he added.
Ouma’s team will complete the season with a match against Nzoia Sugar FC on Sunday.