Robert Matano is not a happy man after witnessing his Tusker side lost to Gor Mahia
K’Ogalo won the highly-anticipated clash 1-0 thanks to Austin Odhiambo's free-kick
Matano expressed optimism about African heavyweights in the ongoing AFCON 2023

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Tusker's head coach, Robert Matano, has expressed frustration over what he believed was a denied penalty during their 1-0 defeat to Gor Mahia at Machakos Stadium on Saturday, January 20.

A well-executed free-kick by Austin Odhiambo secured K’Ogalo the victory in the first half, extending their FKF Premier League lead to 12 points over Tusker, whose eight-match unbeaten streak ended.

Controversy arose six minutes before full time when Gor defender Kennedy Onyango seemed to handle the ball while on the ground.

Tusker lost 1-0 at to Gor Mahia beat the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos. Photos: People Daily and Tusker FC. — Gor Mahia beat Tusker 1-0 at the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos. Photos: People Daily and Tusker FC.
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Despite television replays showing it might have been a ball-to-hand incident and not intentional, the referee did not award a penalty, leaving Matano dejected.

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The coach insisted it was a clear penalty that could have altered the outcome.

"That was a penalty, but what can I do even if I complain? It was a clear penalty, but the referee decided otherwise," Matano is quoted by Pulse Sports.

On the other hand, Gor's head coach, Johnathan McKinstry, supported the referee's decision, stressing that it was not a penalty according to the rules.

Despite the setback, Matano found positives in the match, believing the Brewers’ are still in the title race.

Looking beyond the local league, Matano expressed optimism about traditional African heavyweights in the ongoing African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in the Ivory Coast, despite some disappointing starts. He noted that Nigeria, Ghana, and Cameroon have the necessary experience to overcome early challenges and make an impact in the tournament.

"It will be very difficult for them because they were uninspiring in their opening matches, but we can't rule them out for now. They can surely re-group and return to the top as far as this tournament is concerned. They have the necessary experience to turn things around and understand how to maneuver at this level," Matano said, as reported by Citizen Digital.

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However, he also acknowledged challenges faced by Arab teams from North Africa, saying the more one team dominates, the more other teams get time to study your tricks and style. He noted African teams have improved immensely.