Gor back to winning ways, Leopards fall in Mombasa

Champions Gor Mahia on Saturday returned to winning ways with a 3-1 victory over Chemelil Sugar in a Kenyan Premier League match at the Nyayo National Stadium.

At the Mbaraki Sports Club in Mombasa, Dan Sserunkuma came off the bench to score a brace as Bandari rallied from a goal down to beat AFC Leopards 2-1 while Kakamega Homeboyz and hosts Muhoroni Youth battled to a barren draw in Muhoroni.

Shortly before kick-off across the three venues on Saturday, teams lined up on either side of the centre circle to observe a minute of silence in honour of veteran coach James Siang’a, who passed away on Friday night.

At Nyayo Stadium, having failed to score in their last three league games, the champions were under pressure to perform, and they showed urgency in the opening minutes of the game with George Odhiambo, Jacques Tuyisenge and Haron Shakava coming close.

Shakava had a good chance in the 10th minute when he rose high to meet a long ball worked from a corner, but he sent his header inches wide.

Willis Ouma and Jared Obwoge also had a chance each for the visitors early on but we’re unable to convert them.

KAHATA SCORES

Gor finally found the back of the net through a sublime Francis Kahata free-kick, which beat Chemelil keeper Ali Kimera for the opener in the 16th minute.

The sugar millers however responded through Jared Obwoge, who beat Gor custodian Bonface Oluoch with a low shot after outpacing Shakava with three minutes to the break.

Youngster Amos Nondi replaced Kenyan international Eric Ouma – who limped off injured – in the beginning of the second half.

Both teams came into the second half in search of a winner but it’s the 15-time champions who scored the next goal.

Nondi was particularly sensational having replaced Ouma and ultimately found the back of the net in the 56th minute. Gor piled on more pressure on the high-flying visitors and George Odhiambo put the score beyond doubt in the 74th minute.

Jacques Tuyisenge, who had also played a role in the second goal, crossed for Odhiambo to slot past Kimera.

“The pressure is not off yet. We can afford to smile a little but the pressure still remains. When you are part of a team like Gor, there will always be pressure of one form or the other,” Gor coach Marcelo Ferreira said after the game.

SUPER SUB SSERUNKUMA

In Mombasa, Sserunkuma, a 71st minute substitute for young sensation Darius Msagha, scored a quick-fire brace to hand the hosts the three points.

The Ugandan striker got his goals in the 79th and 88th minutes to turn around the tie which Leopards had comfortably led in from Andrew Tololwa’s 39th minute.

Reports by Cellestine Olilo, Abdulrahman Sheriff, Gaitano Pessa