Dogged Stima wreck Gors slim title dreams in thriller

Gor Mahia’s lingering hopes of holding on to the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) title all but dissipated on Wednesday when the champions were held to a 2-2 draw in a scintillating clash at the Nyayo National Stadium.

K’Ogalo came from going behind on the stroke of half-time to a Kennedy Otieno goal to level through an Enock Agwanda 52nd minute penalty before Ugandan midfielder, Godfrey Walusimbi struck what would have been the winner in the 79th.

Stima had other ideas and substitute Bernard Ondiek broke the Green Army’s hearts when he levelled the contest in the 92nd minute with a bullet header for a goal that was cheered all the way in Ruaraka by league leaders Tusker FC who are now six points clear at the top with 51 with four games to play.

Beat Sony Sugar and AFC Leopards and the Brewers will be crowned champions with two games to spare should Gor somehow conjure victory in their next two fixtures.

Only a sensational late collapse from Tusker will stop them from claiming their first title since 2012 and 11th in history.

First up for K’Ogalo on Sunday is the eternal Mashemeji Derby against the old enemy, Leopards at the same stadium where their title dream was all but buried by the dogged electricity men on Wednesday days after the Green Army went on rampage when Muhoroni Youth stripped them of the KPL Top 8 title at Nyayo.

Substitute Bernard Indie had the last say in an entertaining 2-2 draw between Gor Mahia and Western Stima as he nodded in a last minute equalizer in an evenly contested Kenyan Premier League clash played at the Nyayo National Stadium on Wednesday.

-Shock Lead-

Stima took a shock 1-0 lead into the break when Otieno struck a delightful opener past keeper Boniface Oluoch in added time at the end of the first half before Enoch Agwanda leveled the matters from the spot.

The opener came completely against the run of play and it all started when midfielder Kenneth Muguna picked out Hubert Kopany on the right wing.

Kopany had outpaced defender Erick ‘Marcelo’ Ouma – who was struggling to fall back after initiating a counter attack – and he squared a low cross into the path of Otieno who took a beautifully controlled first touch before calmly slotting past Oluoch.

Gor thought they had all the three points wrapped when Walusimbi put the hosts in front with only 20 minutes left to play before a lapse in concentration allowed Ondiek to ghost in behind the defense to earn his side the vita point that left them fourth on 41 points.

Henry Omino’s charges were unable to create a single chance in the opening 15 minutes, soaking up a series of attacks from their opponents.

Agwanda created the first chance of the game, launching a long ball into the path of Walusimbi but the Ugandan winger skied his effort with only keeper Gabriel Andika to beat.

Andika was called to action three minutes later, being forced off his lines to punch clear Agwanda’s stinging effort from a free-kick just at the edge of the penalty area.

Slowly, Stima got a foot hold of the proceedings and the game quickly morphed into an even affair.

Andika – otherwise brilliant all afternoon – almost gifted Jose Marcelo ‘Ze Maria’ Ferreira’s men the opener in the 15th minute after failing to handle a cross from Francis Kahata.

The pieces fell to Harun Shakava but the defender’s looping attempt failed to dip in time and flew inches above the crossbar.

A creative set-piece routine from Walusimbi fell into the path of Kahata but the pacey winger rushed his shot, skewing it wide when he had all the time to take a first touch and pick his target.

Straight after saving two corner kicks in quick succession, Andika quickly rolled the ball into Fredrick Shimonyo’s path for a counter but defender Musa Mohammed was alert block Muguna’s shot.

Adventurous Gor prodigy, Ouma almost cost his side when Brian Marita got in behind him as he tried to shield the ball for a goal kick.

Marita collected the ball and raced through on goal Oluoch got the better of him from the one on one situation, thwarting his attempted lob off for a corner.

Across the face of the goal,  freshly crowned player of the month Wesley Kemboi was throwing his arms up in the air in protest, as he stood a better chance of scoring had Marita not chosen to go it alone.

Muguna teed up Kemboi five minutes later with a through ball but the pass was over-hit and rolled harmlessly into the gloves of Oluoch.

On the opposite end of the pitch, George ‘Blackberry ‘Odhiambo earned his side a corner after forcing Denis Shikayi to a last ditch tackle.

However,  K’Ogalo wasted the corner and were punished as Otieno kept a cool head to open the scoring with only seconds of the first half left to play.

At the restart, Gor came with their guns blazing with Rwandese striker, Jacques Tuyisenge leading a flurry of attacks on their opponent’s goal mouth.

Now on the backdoor, it was not long before Stima crumbled as defender Maurice Ojuang latched onto Tuyisenge in the with a reckless challenge inside the penalty area leaving no option for the center referee but to point to the spot.

Agwanda stepped up to take the duty upon himself, striking a powerful shot straight down the middle of the goal to level the matters.

With all the three points in sight, Gor continued to mount pressure on Stima and soon took the lead as Walusimbi nodded in from a curling cross from Kahata.

That was enough for most of the Green Army faithful for Gor to keep their title charge alive but the game had just one final twist.