Mariental Sports Club (SC) head coach Mervin Mbakera has said his team’s failure to win the Southern Stream First Division league is “a disappointing fact and a painful one.”

The club had a positive run and led the log without any defeat until it lost three matches in the last four fixtures of the league against rivals Friends FC, Try Again and Dates Eleven. In an interview with Nampa on Monday, Mbakera said: “It’s a bitter pill to swallow, no doubt. We came very close, and to lose the title at the very end after being on top of the summit for so long is tough for everyone involved.”

Mbakera, however, said the journey was not easy as the team lost 15 players and had to be rebuilt almost entirely.

“Naturally, there were challenges early on as players adapted to each other and to our game model. At some point, we had to adjust our approach to suit the players we had,” explained the head coach.

Despite that, Mbakera said the team showed what it is capable of and became a very strong side again once everything came together.

“Unfortunately, after the Easter break, we lost momentum and went through a difficult spell. We created enough chances but lacked the precision to finish them and close out matches. That ultimately cost us in those games we lost,” he said.

He further thanked club chairperson Raider Jod for his trust and unwavering support, the technical team, the players and everyone who stood behind the team throughout the season.

Mbakera added that the lessons from this season improved the club.

He acknowledged the supporters and the media for walking the journey with Mariental SC this season.

“This is not the end; it’s a delay and not a denial. The future is bright, and we will come back stronger,” said Mbakera. -Nampa