Abud Omar saw a torrid time against Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh during their World Cup qualifying clash against Gambia at Kasarani on Friday.

Harambee Stars left back Abud Omar believes unnecessary mistakes cost Kenya all the three points against Johnathan McKinstry’s Gambia as they lost 3-1 at the Kasarani Stadium on Friday afternoon.

Omar, who was one of the standout players for Kenya at the 2024 African Nations Championships (CHAN) was subjected to a torrid afternoon marking Brighton’s Yankubah Minteh, who played a key role in all the three goals they scored during the match.

Kenya started the brighter of the two sides, creating danger through William Lenkupae and Rooney Onyango inside the opening ten minutes. 

PAY ATTENTION: Stay updated with the Latest Sports News in Kenya from Pulse Sports

Sheriff Shinyan headed in a Yankuba Minteh corner to silence the home crowd, and moments later Minteh doubled the advantage on the counter after a Kenyan turnover. The Brighton winger then turned provider for Musa Barrow, who punished a defensive slip to make it 3-0 before halftime.

Benni McCarthy responded with wholesale changes at the break, bringing on Alpha Onyango and Manzur Okwaro to inject energy, later introducing Ryan Ogam in search of inspiration.

 The substitutes did spark life, with Duke Abuya and Ogam both finding the net, only for their efforts to be ruled offside. Persistence paid off late when Ogam pulled one back in the 81st minute, but it proved only a consolation as Gambia left Nairobi with maximum points.

Speaking after the match, Omar offered an honest assessment of the defeat.

“We are disappointed at the end of the day. It’s not like the other team was better than us—we were punished by our own mistakes. We just need to go back, fix those mistakes, and come on Tuesday ready to do our best again,” he said.

The 31-year-old highlighted the importance of starting strong in their upcoming clash against Seychelles.

“It was tough because we conceded three goals in the first half. Coming back from that was like climbing a mountain. In the second half, we dominated, but it was too late. We need to correct our mistakes, avoid conceding early, and make sure we score first.”

Omar also drew a sharp contrast between continental action at CHAN and the unforgiving nature of full FIFA-recognised international fixtures.

“There’s a big difference between playing in CHAN and playing international matches. In CHAN, you can make a mistake and sometimes get away with it. But at the international level, any mistake gets punished, just as the coach reminded us,” he admitted.

Kenya now turn their attention to the Seychelles fixture, where Omar insists sharper defending and a strong start will be non-negotiable if they are to restore pride in their World Cup qualifying campaign.