Gor draw with Ulinzi, miss chance to return top

Defending Champions Gor Mahia on Sunday battled to a 1-1 draw with Ulinzi Stars in a SportPesa Premier League match staged at Moi stadium in Kisumu.

Former Harambee Stars striker Dennis Oliech gave K'Ogalo the lead on the 47th minute, but Enosh Ochieng struck 10 minutes later from the spot to level the scores.

Gor's head coach Hassan Oktay was left fuming with the result and blamed centre referee for poor officiating.

"This one is disgrace and we (Gor) have to wake up. I don't understand why the referee denied us a penalty when Francis Kahata was fouled inside the box, it was a clear penalty," bemoaned Oktay.

But Ulinzi's coach Benjamin Nyangweso was left celebrating the result, saying his side played well.

"Getting one point from a team like Gor is not easy, we deserve it because we played well," said Nyangweso.

Gor threatened first with a second minute attempt, which Francis Mustapha blazed over the crossbar.

The visitors survived 10 minutes later when the Mustafa picked on a rushing Francis Kahata with a pass from the right wing, Ulinzi's George Omondi reacting first to clear the danger.

Ulinzi's top scorer Enosh Ochieng forced Gor's goalkeeper Shaban Odhonji to a save on the 25th minute from a rebound, as he sought to guide his side to a consecutive victory, after their midweek's 2-0 win over Western Stima at the same venue.

Both sides were forced to a first-half substitution due to injuries. The soldiers made the first change on the 38th minute, Benard Ongoma taking the place of Ibrahim Shambo as Gor introduced Pascal Ogweno for Philemon Otieno.

Five minutes to the break, goalkeeper Odhonji rose high to deny Brian Birgen from a free-kick, before Mustafa saw his attempt at the other end saved by Ulinzi's goalkeeper James Saruni.

Two minutes after the restart, Oliech capitalised on a defensive lap by the soldiers to fire K'Ogalo ahead.

The striker dribbled inside the box to beat Ulinzi's goalkeeper Saruni with a left-footed shot to the left side of the goalpost.

Ulinzi's defender Birgen was then forced to a timely save at the heart of the box as the defending sought to stretch their lead immediately.

Ochieng levelled the scored for the soldiers from the spot on the 57th minute after he was fouled inside the box.

Mustafa was not lucky with his clever header on the 70th minute, before Ochieng saw his solo effort two minutes later miss the target the other end.

Oliech would have sealed maximum points for his side deep into extra-time from substitute Jacques Tuyisenge's cross but he sent the ball wide.