Gor Mahia lose top spot after weekend defeat
What you need to know:
- Maybe the mishaps that plagued former champions Gor Mahia last season have not left them yet.
- Sunday’s 2-1 loss to bogey team Western Stima in Kisumu provided an unwanted and unexpected blemish to a season that seemed to have begun so well for the 15-time champions.
- Unexpected because the last time Stima had clinched victory over Gor Mahia was on May 26 2013, the year that K’Ogalo won the first of three back-to back local league titles.
Maybe the mishaps that plagued former champions Gor Mahia last season have not left them yet.
Sunday’s 2-1 loss to bogey team Western Stima in Kisumu provided an unwanted and unexpected blemish to a season that seemed to have begun so well for the 15-time champions.
Unexpected because the last time Stima had clinched victory over Gor Mahia was on May 26 2013, the year that K’Ogalo won the first of three back-to back local league titles.
Rwandan import Jacques Tuyisenge fired Gor into a 16th-minute lead but Fredrick Shimonyo erupted with a brace in the 67th and 80th minutes to gift Stima their first victory of their season.
The first two goals were products of contestable penalties, but there is no denying the former champions’ shortcomings as they allowed Shimonyo to score from what could have been a harmless corner.
With that result, K’Ogalo relinquished the top spot and reclined onto a humble third position behind their arch rivals AFC Leopards who have played one match less.
For that, the tactical acumen of coach Marcelo Ferreira has returned to the fore once more, the major bone of contention being his insistence on starting with unproductive returnee Timothy Otieno and leaving the tried-and-tested Meddie Kagere to start from the bench.
The Brazilian coach’s refusal to field defensive midfielder Collins “Gattuso” Okoth due to alleged personal indifferences is also something that will need urgent tackling heading into next weekend’s encounter against unbeaten Kakamega Homeboyz in Nakuru.
AFC Leopards received the news of K’Ogalo’s defeat with glee, as it came a day after their gallant come-from-behind 2-1 win against Nzoia United.
Ingwe conceded early and had to dig deep into their reserves to overcome the dark horses from Bungoma, and it was burly striker Gilbert Fiamenyo and second half replacement Allan Katerrega who helped turn the game on its head.
In spite of a brief interlude of off the pitch mishaps where Ingwe fans roughed up fans of Nzoia at half time and tore down their banners in Machakos, their players served up a dedicated fight that cast them as real title contenders this season.
That fight however left Fiamenyo and defender Robinson Kamura wounded and unable to continue, a situation that is now of immense concern for coach Stewart Hall ahead of Wednesday’s catch up match against Ulinzi Stars.
“Against Nakumatt we won because we were stronger. We dominated the game. But against Nzoia we won because of hard work. The boys fought very hard and I cannot ask for more from them. Rob and Fiamenyo are injured to some extent so right now it is all about rest and recovery because we have another difficult match coming on Wednesday,” Hall said.
In Afraha, defending champions Tusker finally got themselves off bottom place with a 1-0 win over Chemelil Sugar on Sunday, a result that they will need to build up on in the coming days as they advance their interests in this year’s SPL title.
