Gor run out of steam in title race

Kenyan Premier League defending champions Gor Mahia are struggling to rediscover their fine form that saw them go unbeaten in the first three matches this season.

Having kick-started their title defence to a fine run, a highlight of which was three wins out of three, Gor Mahia seem to have lost their winning formula.

Gor have failed to win any of their last four matches, drawing 0-0 with Thika United and lost 2-0 to Top Fry before drawing 1-1 with Tusker and falling 1-2 to a determined Bandari at the Mombasa Municipal Stadium at the weekend.

Change of fortunes

These statistics do not make for a fine read. Just a month ago, Gor fans were over the moon gloating over their majestic run in the league while their arch-rivals AFC Leopards were experiencing a bad run.

Leopards, on 10 points, have since returned to their winning ways lie eighth in the league, with just a point separating them from sixth-placed Gor on 11 points.

Although the title race is still at an early stage, Gor have woken up to a tough reality that winning the league title is one thing and retaining it is another.

Speaking in Mombasa on the wake of K’Ogalo’s 2-1 loss to Bandari on Sunday, Gor Mahia coach Bobby Williamson blamed the loss on his leaky defence and a bumpy playing at the Mombasa Municipal Stadium.

“The playing surface was not good, it interfered with the movement of the ball, slowing down our play,” he said.

With injured David ‘Calabar’ Owino missing, Gor’s defence was twice caught napping, allowing Alloyce Mangi to beat the off-side trap and plant the ball in the net for the opener and Victor Majid to score the winner.

KCB are also in trouble, falling 3-0 to Western Stima  for their fourth loss of the season to remain in the relegation zone with three points from three draws, one spot ahead of bottom placed Top Fry.

But Tusker stretched their unbeaten run to seven games with a weekend draw at Muhoroni to remain at the summit on 15 points two ahead of second placed Chemelil Sugar.