Gor Mahia gun down limping Ulinzi Stars

George “Blackberry” Odhiambo swept home the only goal of the match in the 40th minute to hand Gor Mahia a vital 1-0 win over a 10-man Ulinzi Stars at Nyayo National Stadium on Wednesday.

The slim win revitalized K’Ogalo’s title push.

Rwandan import Jacques Tuyisenge was heavily involved in the goal, shrugging off a challenge in the box to send a feeble shot on goal before landing heavily on the ground, but a lurking ‘Blackberry’ reacted quickest to fire home.

The slender win hauled Gor’s points tally to 43, bringing them within touching distance of leaders Tusker who are on 45 points while Ulinzi, at 37, also remain in contention.

Tempers however flared in the second half with both sets of players engaging in a scuffle after rough challenges and things reached boiling point at the hour mark when Ulinzi’s Mohamed “Rio” Hassan was shown a straight red for a lunge on Tuyisenge.

“The game was fine but the officiating was poor but we don’t give up,” Ulinzi’s assistant coach Benjamin Nyangweso said after the match.

The first 20 minutes, played at a slow tempo were, however, scrappy with the game cracking to life at the half-hour mark when Gor began probing at Ulinzi goalmouth with Odhiambo, Tuyisenge and Meddie Kagere threatening.

Ulinzi, forced on the backfoot for long spells, had begun well signalling their intent in the fourth minute when Omar Mbongi swung a free kick into the danger area but Joseph Kuria headed high with Boniface Oluoch to beat in Gor’s goal.

Kuria’s wide effort and a John Makwatta shot on goal in the 48th minute were the soldiers real chances in the cagey match but thereafter it became a one-way traffic towards Ulinzi’s danger area.

Odhiambo, the 2010 KPL Player of the Year, had earlier on come close to opening the scoring in the 10th minute rushing into the box to meet Karim Nizigiyimana’s cross but the end product could not trouble Ulinzi custodian James Saruni.

K’Ogalo continued to charge on and eleven minutes later, Tuyisenge watched in disbelief as Saruni thwarted his close range effort before Kagere was also denied.