Shabana FC head coach Peter Okidi has voiced his dissatisfaction with the standard of officiating in the league and his team’s recurring struggles with set-piece defending.Follow Our WhatsApp Channel For More News This comes despite a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Bidco United in a pulsating league tie on Wednesday, May 14.Goals from Austin Odongo and Brian Migiro in either half ensured the Glamour Boys secured back-to-back wins following their recent setback against Gor Mahia, which ended an impressive eight-match unbeaten streak.##NAJAVA_MECA_8925865##The result sees Shabana strengthen their hold on fourth place with 52 points, cutting the gap between them and league leaders Kenya Police to just six points.However, speaking after the final whistle, Coach Okidi expressed frustration at the level of officiating, describing it as subpar and emotionally driven.His comments come amid growing scrutiny over the quality of refereeing in the domestic league.“I am not happy with the level of refereeing; though we won, it was below standard. The referee wasn’t at her best and made calls out of emotions, which should not be the case,” Okidi stated.“I urge the Federation to urgently address the rising concern about officiating.This is not just a league issue, it has begun to affect our national team performances, as seen in recent World Cup qualifier matches.”Relief for Kenyan referee as State intervention secures U.S. visaIn addition to his officiating concerns, the former Kakamega Homeboyz tactician pointed to his side’s recurring weakness in defending set pieces as a lingering issue that could derail their title ambitions.Shabana once again conceded from a corner kick, with Bidco United’s Clinton Asiago heading home a powerful equalizer from Evans Maliachi’s delivery—mirroring the goal they conceded in their recent loss to Gor Mahia.##NAJAVA_MECA_8925508##“I am disappointed with our defending,” Okidi admitted.“We have been porous from set pieces. It’s the second time in recent weeks that we’ve been punished from a corner. That’s a worrying concern we need to urgently address moving forward.”With momentum building once more, Shabana will now turn their attention to Saturday’s home fixture against relegation-threatened Mara Sugar.Nairobi City Stars coach sends defiant message in relegation scrapA win would not only extend their resurgence but also keep their title hopes alive in what is shaping up to be a tightly contested race at the top.
