Transport disrupted as K'Ogalo fans celebrate

Gor Mahia fans celebrate their team's first goal against AFC Leopards during their SportPesa Premier League match on August 25, 2018 at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |

What you need to know:

  • More satisfying for the Gor Mahia fans and worse for the Leopards end, was that this achievement was arrived at with a second-string side fielded by coach Dylan Kerr, who was seemingly keen to shuffle his squad ahead of Wednesday's crunch 2018 Caf Confederation Cup clash away to Algeria's USM Algers.
  • Earlier, the celebrations commenced in earnest after the match referee blew the final whistle to end the contest at Kasarani, as a majority of the fans in attendance stormed in celebration.

Transport activities along the ever busy Thika Super Highway were momentarily disrupted Saturday evening as thousands of football supporters affiliated to Gor Mahia Football club matched from Kasarani Stadium to the CBD celebrating their team's 17th Kenyan Premier League title.

The champions, commonly referred to as K'Ogalo, the Green Army or Sirikal in local football circles, retained the biggest trophy in Kenyan football after easily defeating their arch-rivals AFC Leopards 2-0 in a one-sided league contest at the Kasarani stadium.

The fans marched through one-half of the 12-lane highway for about nine kilometres into the CBD while singing, displaying twigs and banners, in what was yet another proud moment in the club's rich history.

Curious onlookers stood by, others congratulated the entourage, while pockets of Leopards fans looked on in green envy as a section of the Gor legion rode atop personal cars and public service vehicles driven at a walking pace in this largely peaceful procession.

More satisfying for the Gor Mahia fans and worse for the Leopards end, was that this achievement was arrived at with a second-string side fielded by coach Dylan Kerr, who was seemingly keen to shuffle his squad ahead of Wednesday's crunch 2018 Caf Confederation Cup clash away to Algeria's USM Algers.

Earlier, the celebrations commenced in earnest after the match referee blew the final whistle to end the contest at Kasarani, as a majority of the fans in attendance stormed in celebration.

They hugged some of the players, danced and sang victory songs, some of them in the native dholuo language.

"We are now tired of winning this thing," famous Gor Mahia supporter Jared Abong'o aka Jaro Soja shouted.

"Now we want to concentrate on the continental matches and try emulate this success over there," another female fan with the initials 'Nyar Asego' printed at the back of her Gor Mahia jersey added.

This is Gor Mahia's 17th league title, summing up an unprecedented achievement for the country's most successful football club. Crucially, the victors achieved this feat with six games to spare.

For the record, Leopards are the second most successful side having amassed 13 titles.

"Nothing worked for us today," a visibly subdued leopards coach Rodolfo Zapata told Nation Sport.

"Of course we missed (suspended striker Ezekiel) Odera, but then the cohesion was not there, my players were on the back foot from the word go."

The celebrations will continue deep into the night with several fans spotted in entertainment joints and even on social media all too keen to display the bragging rights in this match, which attracted significant interest from all over the world.

"I predicted all these, I told them (Leopards) to take lunch and supper at the same time because I was certain the day would end in disappointment and some might end up in bed hungry and frustrated," Sharino Didier, an ardent Gor supporter currently based in the USA bragged.

While this was happening, a section of AFC Leopards supporters were left moaning and blaming poor officiating, a missed penalty by midfielder Whyvone Isuza and poor tactics by Zapata for their latest loss to the undoubtedly superior opposition.