Gor Mahia set early pace as KPL starts
What you need to know:
- New captain Kenneth Muguna, Nicholas Kipkirui, and Dickson Ambundo stood out in the rout, but the manner in which Gor Mahia’s Tanzanian goalkeeper David Mapigano conceded the two goals was a major talking point from the match.
- “I think the lads have played very well today even though I had to take off Kipkirui because he felt his hamstring,” said Pollack, who joined Gor Mahia three weeks ago after a stint at Ghanaian club Asante Kotoko.
It may be too early to predict who will win the league, but Gor Mahia appears the team to beat in the 2019/2020 Kenyan Premier League season.
At the same time, Sony Sugar and debutants Kisumu All Stars are already showing signs of a struggle in the 18-team competition.
But the jury is out on how Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), Wazito and AFC Leopards will perform in the league after posting contrasting results on the opening weekend of the season.
At the Moi Stadium in Kisumu on Saturday, K’Ogalo, under new coach Steve Pollack, put five goals past hapless Tusker for an impressive 5-2 result.
The result was achieved after a breathtaking phase of entertaining football by the 18-time Kenyan champions, who are now eyeing a fourth league title on the trot.
New captain Kenneth Muguna, Nicholas Kipkirui, and Dickson Ambundo stood out in the rout, but the manner in which Gor Mahia’s Tanzanian goalkeeper David Mapigano conceded the two goals was a major talking point from the match.
“I think the lads have played very well today even though I had to take off Kipkirui because he felt his hamstring,” said Pollack, who joined Gor Mahia three weeks ago after a stint at Ghanaian club Asante Kotoko.
“We still have a lot to do and we will improve. I am impressed with the start and I can look forward to the next game with confidence.”
Add this result to the 1-0 win over Bandari in the KPL Super Cup last weekend, and the 5-1 mauling over Burundi champions Aigle Noir in 2019 Caf Champions League preliminaries and one gets the impression that K’Ogalo mean business this season.
Brewers barely threatened
That view is lent more credence if one considers that Gor Mahia’s two foreign strikers, Francis Afriye and Giselein Gipke, are yet to kick a ball this season.
But as Gor impressed in Kisumu, former champions Tusker struggled in the match.
Apart from Boniface Muchiri scoring two sublime goals against the reigning champions, the brewers barely threatened and looked suspect at the back.
It already appears coach Robert Matano has all to do if he’s to deliver the first title at the club since 2016.
Now under new coach Zedekiah ‘Zico’ Otieno, new-look KCB beat Sony Sugar 3-0. But moneybags Wazito needed a penalty to settle for a 1-1 draw with Nzoia Sugar.
Ulinzi welcomed Kisumu’s All-Stars to the top-flight league with a 2-0 beating as Leopards disappointed, losing to a late goal against Kakamega Homeboyz at the Bukhungu Stadium, a result that has increased pressure on coach Casa Mbungo.
