Kimoto refuses to relax after Singida rout
SINGIDA: SINGIDA Black Stars may have left Juba with a sevengoal haul, but head coach Papy Kimoto was already looking beyond the emphatic 7-1 victory against Al-Ghazal FC after warning his players that the job is not yet done.
Singida produced a ruthless display at Juba National Stadium, taking a commanding advantage into the second leg, but Kimoto’s focus was drawn to the one goal his side conceded.
“It was a good performance and we controlled the game right until the end,” Kimoto said.
“However, I am very disappointed to concede that goal today. It was down to poor positioning. We will keep working hard on the training pitch to iron out these simple mistakes.”
While the result gave Singida a huge advantage, the match also provided Kimoto with an opportunity to blood new players.
Debutants Tegisi and Henry David were handed their first starts for the club, with one of the newcomers announcing himself in style by scoring a hat-trick.
Kimoto welcomed the youngsters’ contribution, insisting that giving emerging players meaningful minutes is essential to their development.
“To gain experience in football, you have to start somewhere. They started very well and I congratulate them. I expect them to keep progressing so that we can become an even stronger unit,” he said.
Despite the six-goal cushion, Kimoto refused to entertain thoughts of the tie being settled, instead demanding that his players remain focused as they return to domestic action.
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“Nothing is finished yet; anything can happen in a single match of football,” he said. “We must keep our feet firmly on the ground.”
That warning comes as Singida faces a quick turnaround, as their attention now switches to the Premier League.
The Tanzanian side travels to Kigoma for a midweek league clash against Mashujaa FC, with Kimoto insisting that the immediate priority is domestic competition before thoughts turn to the second leg in Dar es Salaam.
“The hard work starts tomorrow because we have an important league match on Wednesday before we can even think about the return leg in Dar es Salaam,” he said.
