Mathare United head coach David Ouma has refused to panic after his side endured a winless and goalless pre-season tour of Rwanda, insisting the three defeats provided the stern examination he wanted before the start of the 2026/27 SportPesa League season.
The Slum Boys endured a bruising eight-day spell in Rwanda, losing 1-0 to APR FC, 1-0 Gorilla FC and 3-0 to Rayon Sports.
“There is nothing to panic about. This is our expectation at this moment,” Ouma said.
Having spent five weeks laying the foundations at home, Ouma chose Rwanda as the stage for a sterner examination, throwing his players against formidable opposition to expose the cracks before they could widen in the league.
Ouma said the level of opposition offered valuable lessons as he continues to rebuild a team that finished 14th last season.
“We took a big courage to come and play these games,” he said, adding that the Rwandan sides “really, really given us the test that we needed.”
APR and Rayon Sports had recently featured in the Cecafa Kagame Cup and, alongside Gorilla, gave Ouma an opportunity to assess his players against teams operating at a higher intensity.
Ouma believes the club’s history and previous involvement in continental football demand greater ambition as the Slum Boys seek to move away from the struggles of last season.
“I think getting this opportunity to come (to Rwanda) and test my team after doing a five-week pre-season in our country was very bold enough for us,” Ouma said.
The matches highlighted two pressing concerns — Mathare’s inability to score and their vulnerability at the back.
Ouma said the lack of goals requires immediate attention, while stressing the importance of tightening the defence.
“We have not made a goal,” Ouma admitted. “The reality is, am I contented with our attacking prowess?”
The answer is clear: there is work to be done. But he sees the problems as part of the purpose of pre-season.
Mathare have reshaped their squad under Ouma, with experienced left-back Evans Maliachi joining from Kakamega Homeboyz while veteran midfielder Joshua Nyatini expected to cross over.
“Sometimes, as a coach, it’s better you lose in the pre-season, but in the league, you make sure you put your feet on the ground,” he said.
Mathare now have a short window to turn the lessons from Rwanda into tangible improvements ahead of their league opener against APS Bomet on August 29.
