Gor drown Bandari to inch closer to leaders

SportPesa Premier League (SPL) champions, Gor Mahia’s resurgence continued on Thursday when they outclassed GOtv Shield winners; Bandari FC 2-0 at their Mbaraki Stadium home turf in Mombasa to atone for their pre-season DStv Super Cup loss.

George ‘Blackberry’ Odhiambo and a Felly Mulumba own-goal in added time lifted K’Ogalo to 17 points and into the top -six, five points adrift of leaders Mathare United as the Dockers suffered their first home defeat of the season to dent their pre-season title ambitions.

Twahir Muhiddin’s side who tasted their fourth defeat of the campaign are stuck on 13 with the former Harambee Stars coach’s future coming under intense scrutiny following the slump of his expensively assembled side.

His opposite number and ex-Brazilian international, Ze Maria was delighted with the result that keeps his side in touch with the challengers to K’Ogalo’s crown after a wretched start to their quest to win a fourth SPL title on the bounce.

“I’m happy because we played well, we played fine all the time and it was very important. We have four or five games before the (transfer) market and we have to think about bringing players who can score,” Ze Maria said with a laugh.

“What happened before I came does not matter to me. I know my players, I know what they can do and that’s what is important to me and the results will come,” he added dismissing suggestions his side had come to seek revenge.

Muhiddin was incensed by his side’s defensive display accusing his players of gifting the champions cheap goals.

Odhiambo’s opener irked Bandari players after scoring when one of their own lay down injured but Muhiddin declined to offer that as an excuse.

“It’s like we scored both goals ourselves. They have to be keen in situations where fair play is called for and it was a genuine goal. There was no fair play but there is no rule that says there must be fair play; so the goal is genuine to me,” he added.

Returning to the stadium where they lost the Super Cup 1-0 for their first domestic defeat in over a year,  Gor came close in the second minute but Ugandan midfielder, Khalid Aucho fired wide inside the box and he was later booked for hacking down David King’atua.

The champions were then seemingly denied a penalty after Mohammed Sharrif handled the ball inside the danger area but the referee waved play on with the crowd protesting his decision wildly.

K’Ogalo custodian; Boniface Oluoch was called to action in the 34th minute after fierce shot from King’atua that saw the keeper react brilliantly to punch clear.

Former Gor forward; Edwin Lavatsa was stretchered off the pitch following a heavy tackle from skipper Musa Mohammed in an incident that saw the match halted for a period as he received medical attention.

Both teams then went to the break evenly matched although Gor shaded the exchange of attacking play.

Odhiambo notched the opener in the 66th with an assist from club record signing and Rwandese import; Jacques Tuyisenge, who fired in a shot that Bandari keeper Wilson Obungu dropped for the winger to  turn in the rebound.

Bandari came so close to equalising through Kingatua’s free-kick but Oluoch was at full-stretch to thwart his effort.

A defensive mix-up in the 92nd saw Mulumba’s back-pass roll into his own net due to miscommunication with his keeper to compound a miserable day for the Dockers.

-Ochomo brace-

Elsewhere a Wycliffe Ochomo double in the the first and 54th minutes of the game lifted Muhoroni Youth to a 2-0 victory over Nairobi City Stars, dragging their visitors closer to the relegation places as the hosts also advanced to 17 points.

Ochomo’s opener was actually clocked at 22 seconds, the fastest goal in the SPL this season as he moved his tally to nine and clear of any other marksman in the league. The former Gor and Ulinzi Stars striker has sunk in nine of Muhoroni’s 11 goals.

A last minute Calvin Odongo strike saw Posta Rangers jump above AFC Leopards to third on 20 in their 1-0 victory over stubborn Ushuru FC who remain in the bottom half of the standings.

Boniface Muchiri’s fifth minute goal was enough for 10-man Sony Sugar to continue their flight off the relegation places when they stopped the impressive run of Kakamega Homeboyz with a 1-0 reverse in Awendo in a game where Collins Kisuya was sent off in the 70th minute for a second bookable offence.

John Nairuka and a penalty from John Makwata gave Ulinzi Stars their second victory in a row when they stopped Chemelil Sugar 2-1 in Nakuru.

Nairuka opened the scoring for Robert Matano’s side in the 32nd for a 1-0 half time lead but Hillary Echesa hauled the sides’ level only five minutes after the restart.

Parity was short-lived when Makwata found the net three minutes later from the spot to fire the soldiers up to fourth on 19, one above Leopards having been awarded their aborted game last weekend by the Kenyan Premier League.

Thika United and Sofapaka shared a barren draw to remain rooted in the bottom two.

Report by Milton Ochieng