Naivas FC head coach Collins Omondi remains undeterred despite a narrow 1-0 defeat to Sofapaka in the first leg of their FKF Premier League/National Super League playoff clash on Saturday.The 2009 league champions secured their advantage through a late Jacob Onyango goal at the Police Sacco grounds, where Naivas hosted the encounter.##NAJAVA_MECA_8204431##Looking ahead to the decisive second leg scheduled at Dandora Stadium this Sunday, coach Omondi expressed confidence in his team’s ability to reverse the deficit.”By bad luck, we conceded a goal in the last minute, but these are mistakes that happen in football, and we understand that,” remarked the former Mathare United and Nzoia Sugar FC coach.”We created a lot of chances, but unfortunately, we didn’t score. My team got carried away, but we will correct that to ensure we find the net in the next game.”Naivas FC, having finished third in the National Super League, faces a crucial task against Sofapaka, who secured their playoff spot after finishing sixteenth in the FKF Premier League. The aggregate winner will claim the remaining 18th slot in the league for the upcoming season.Reflecting on the adjustments needed for the upcoming match, Omondi emphasized, “There are corrections to be made from the mistakes I detected in the first leg. It’s a disadvantage for us so far, but with the away goal aggregate rule in play, it means we must secure a win in the second leg.”This is the first time both teams are featuring in the playoffs. In 2016, Sofapaka came close to relegation, but their final weeks’ fight kept them in the top tier. For Naivas, this is their best season in the second tier, although they may feel they should have earned automatic promotion, having topped the league for most of the season before slipping and allowing Mara Sugar and Mathare United to claim promotion spots.Harambee Stars goalkeeper set to ditch Zesco United for South African side
