Sofapaka rally to hold Gor in six-goal thriller

Sofapaka came back from 2-0 down at halftime to draw 3-3 with champions Gor Mahia 3-3 in a SportPesa Premier League match at the Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos County.

Rwandese Meddie Kagere, Bernard Ondieki and Innocent Wafula scored a goal apiece for K'Ogalo, but Kepha Aswani sparked the Sofapaka renaissance as Ezekiel Okare managed a brace to guarantee their team one point from the game.

Kagere's strike in the 10th minute was a happy accident, as he blindly tapped the ball with the side of his foot in an attempt to lay it properly for Ivorian Ephrem Guikan, but it deflected into the net much to his joyful surprise.

Ondieki doubled matters for the champions just 24 minutes later by guiding a header past Sofapaka custodian Mathias Kigonya.

Sofapaka defender Yusuf Mohammed had intended to clear a dangerous ball from the right, but it flew into the air and Ondieki, who was acquired from Western Stima in December last year, leapt just in time to meet it and send it home.

Sofapaka coach John Baraza responded by withdrawing Humphrey Okoti seven minutes before the end of the first half and replacing him with deadly striker Stephen Waruru in a bid to rescue his team from an impending embarrassment.

Aswani pulled one back for Batoto ba Mungu in the 51st minute, prompting K'Ogalo to work even harder to safeguard their lead.

The visitors kept it late, but a defensive mishap in the 85th minute saw their patience pay off. Harun Shakava and goalkeeper Boniface Oluoch had both left their areas of jurisdiction, and Okare easily headed home a long ball from the middle, leaving Shakava guiltily running after it in what was an exercise in futility.

It didn't take two minutes for Sofapaka to inflict pain again, and it was Okare once more who scooped the ball and sent a thunderbolt into the top left corner.

Gor however responded promptly through Innocent Wafula who made the most of a goalmouth melee to deliver the equaliser in stoppage time.