NSL: Coach Ayani backs Naivas after hard-fought weekend win

Naivas FC head coach, Elvis Ayani, has heaped praise on his players following their hard-fought 2–1 win over Soy United in a tense National Super League (NSL) encounter at the weekend

‎Speaking to Citizen Digital, Ayani attributed the victory to his players’ discipline, teamwork, and fighting spirit, saying their determination was the key difference in securing maximum points.

‎He also lauded his goalkeeper for producing a brilliant performance that helped the team hold off a strong Soy United attack.

‎ “This win came through pure effort and focus. Good job by our goalkeeper Emase for saving the penalty, it could have been 2-2. Soy United gave us a tough challenge, they are a good team with players hungry to perform,” Ayani said after the match.

‎Meanwhile, Soy United assistant coach Samuel Otieno expressed disappointment with the result, noting that his side had been targeting their first away win of the season, but once again fell short.

‎“We played well but couldn’t convert our chances. We wanted to at least get a draw to motivate us heading into our next fixture against Kibera Black Stars but we did not manage. Our goal remains to improve our away record because that’s where we’ve struggled most,” Otieno said.

‎The result lifted Naivas FC to second place on the NSL table with 14 points, just one ahead of Mombasa United, who have a game in hand. Soy United, on the other hand, dropped to 17th place with only 5 points, increasing the pressure on the team to turn their fortunes around in upcoming fixtures.