Stars Coach Migne: Goal Keeper Matasi Not To Blame For Ghana Defeat

25th March 2019 - by Mutwiri Mutuota

Kenyan national football team boss exudes confidence his side can make a good impression during the Egypt 2019 AFCON finals in June

Harambee Stars goal keeper, Patrick Matasi speaks after the team landed back to the country on Monday, March 25, 2019. PHOTO/FKF

SUMMARY

Kenya had already qualified to return to the AFCON ahead of their final Group F fixture at the Ohene Djan Stadium in Accra and were on course to top the pool before winger Caleb Ekuban broke free in the 83rd minute to score the winner for the Black Stars in a result that lifted them to the summit on nine points, two ahead of Kenya in the final standings
Speaking after landing from Ghana in the early hours of Monday morning, Migne shifted focus to preparations for their first AFCON final in 15 years noting that his team only needs to work on minor details to be ready for an impression at the tournament
Field captain and former SPL champions, Gor Mahia FC skipper, Musa Mohammed- whose sister Fatuma 'Iron Fist' Zarika ruled Nairobi Fight Night 2 also on Saturday night by holding on to her World Boxing Council women Super Bantamweight crown- exuded confidence the team will give a good account of themselves when they line up for their first AFCON since Tunisia 2004

NAIROBI, Kenya- Harambee Stars head coach, Sebastien Migne declined to blame their Saturday 0-1 defeat to Ghana on goal-keeper Patrick Matasi as he rued the missed chance of closing their memorable 2019 Africa Cup of Nations Cup qualifying campaign on a resounding note.

Kenya had already qualified to return to the AFCON ahead of their final Group F fixture at the Ohene Djan Stadium in Accra and were on course to top the pool before winger Caleb Ekuban broke free in the 83rd minute to score the winner for the Black Stars in a result that lifted them to the summit on nine points, two ahead of Kenya in the final standings.

Harambee will be among the 24 teams that will line up for the Egypt 2019 finals of the inaugural edition of the expanded AFCON from June 21 to July 19 alongside fellow East African sides, Uganda, Tanzania and Burundi- the first time four teams from this region have made the biannual continental football showpiece.

Speaking after landing from Ghana in the early hours of Monday morning, Migne shifted focus to preparations for their first AFCON final in 15 years noting that his team only needs to work on minor details to be ready for an impression at the tournament.

He refused to slam Matasi for his howler that saw Ekuban beat him from a tight angle from the left when the Ethiopian giant Saint George custodian let the ball squirm through his body.

"He committed a mistake but I cannot forget what he has done for me. It's different for goal keepers because Victor (Wanyama), Masoud (Juma) and (Michael) Olunga when he is there can commit a mistake but there are people behind them who can cover.

"For a goal-keeper it is more difficult but he is on the way. Since I have been here, he has kept five clean sheets. It was a clean sheer until the 83rd minute," the Frenchman who took charge of Stars in May last year before leading Kenya to the AFCON at his first time of asking said at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

Famous result

The former Republic of Congo boss hailed the dogged display against the three-time AFCON winners having come close to nicking another famous away result in West Africa following Stars' 1-1 draw against Nigeria in Calabar six years ago during a FIFA World Cup qualifier.

"Of course im disappointed because we were not far from creating a huge result in Ghana against a top team in Africa. Until the 83rd minute it was perfect for us but unfortunately in football at the high level you must be good until the end.

"After 93 or 94 minutes, we missed a little things, not a lot. It was seen from the beginning of the week with some players absence," the Frenchman added having travelled to Accra without top marksman and Japan-based Olunga who was out injured among others.

Matasi, the former SportPesa Premier League sides AFC Leopards SC, Posta Ranger FC and Tusker FC goalkeeper was the subject of heavy trolling on social media following what some cited was an inexcusable error that led to the Ghanaian goal.

Speaking at JKIA, the hero of the 2017 Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup triumph admitted his mistake but chose to dwell on the commendable showing that demonstrated Stars can mix with the top boys during the AFCON final.

"We expected something from that match but definitely didn't. It was a tough match but we have much time to prepare.

"We lost the ball in the midfield and my defence was still going out and the striker managed to beat them. The direction I took was a little miscalculation when going down and that is why the ball slipped and it was a goal," Matasi remarked.

Field captain and former SPL champions, Gor Mahia FC skipper, Musa Mohammed- whose sister Fatuma 'Iron Fist' Zarika ruled Nairobi Fight Night 2 also on Saturday night by holding on to her World Boxing Council women Super Bantamweight crown- exuded confidence the team will give a good account of themselves when they line up for their first AFCON since Tunisia 2004.

"It was a difficult game but we are grateful to the sacrifices the players made. We tried our best even if we did not get the desired result. We are happy for this chance that has come at the right time since this team has prepared for a long time.

"We thank God we are going to the AFCON and when we go there, I'm sure we will accomplish a lot," Mohammed who won three national league titles with Gor asserted.

Migne and his side will go for a three week camp in France in May ahead of the Egypt 2019 AFCON campaign with Kenya hoping to make the knockout phase of the competition for the first time in history.

Stars won their first and only AFCON game in Tunisia when they blanked 2013 losing finalists Burkina Faso 3-0 in their last group match with both sides already eliminated from the competition after losing to Mali and Senegal.

2019 AFCON Finalists

Egypt, Madagascar, Tunisia, Senegal, Morocco, Nigeria, Uganda, Mali, Guinea, Algeria, Mauritania, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Ghana, Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Guinea-Bissau, Namibia, Zimbabwe, DR Congo, Benin, Tanzania and South Africa