‘Individual errors cost us’, Ulinzi Coach Ocholla decries weekend stalemate

Ulinzi Stars head coach Stephen Ocholla has blamed individual errors for his team’s continued home struggles after they were held to a 1–1 draw by Bandari FC at the Ulinzi Sports Complex on Sunday.

The Soldiers went ahead early through Masita Masuta, who found the net for the second consecutive match after a brilliant run and cut-back from Brian Birgen. The lively start suggested Ulinzi were on course to finally secure their first home win of the season.

But Bandari clawed their way back, with Darius Msagha scoring his first goal of the campaign to level the match and frustrate the home side. The draw marked Bandari’s sixth of the season, while Ulinzi’s search for a home victory continues to drag on.

After the final whistle, Ocholla expressed disappointment, noting that the match was one they had fully targeted for maximum points.

“It was a game we expected to fetch all three points, putting us in a difficult position because if we won, we could have climbed two or three positions up the table,” he said.

The coach was candid about the nature of the equalizer, pointing to defensive errors that cost them dearly.

“I would say they were mistakes—largely individual ones—from the defender and the keeper,” he admitted. “Based on the results, there is still more to be done to make it difficult for our visitors to secure points, especially on our aggression and intent.”

Despite the setback, Ocholla remains optimistic that the team is progressing in the right direction.

“Every day there is improvement, and we will strive to earn three points each and every game moving forward.”

On the opposite bench, Bandari head coach Mohammed Borji also voiced his frustration, noting that fatigue played a major role in their performance.

“Fatigue brought about by travelling, contributed a lot, but we remain confident about winning our next game, with key focus on fine-tuning our striking department,” Borji said.

After 10 matches, Ulinzi Stars sit seventh on the log with 13 points, while Bandari occupy 11th place, having collected 12 points from ten games.

For Ulinzi, the hunt for a breakthrough at home continues—while Bandari will hope their resilience eventually turns draws into crucial victories.