Gor fail to close gap in Ushuru stalemate, Muhoroni win

Gor fail to close gap in Ushuru stalemate, Muhoroni win

Boos and howls greeted Gor Mahia’s timid 0-0 stalemate with an obdurate Ushuru FC as the champions failed to capitalise on leaders Tusker FC’s earlier slip and close the gap at the top in a patchy Kenyan Premier League (KPL) clash at Nairobi’s Nyayo National Stadium.

Ken Kenyatta’s side contained the team they have never beaten in the top-flight with K’Ogalo’s vaunted strike force of Jacques Tuyisenge, Meddie Kagere and Baron Oketch failing to find the breakthrough even in the 93rd minute of added time when mayhem reigned in the taxmen’s box.

Elsewhere, John ‘Bobby’ Ogolla notched his first win with Muhoroni Youth after his charges mailed back visiting Posta Rangers to Nairobi with a 2-1 victory stamp as Bandari FC faced the bleak long trip back to Mombasa with a 1-0 defeat at Sony Sugar ringing in their ears.

Bottom side Sofapaka FC surrendered the lead at Kakamega Homeboyz to settle for a 1-1 draw with the improved performance credited to the return of their flamboyant President, Elly Mboni Kalekwa, to the country.

Tusker who were denied victory in the last minute of added time earlier on Sunday in a 2-2 draw with Chemelil Sugar lead the standings on 36 points, five clear of K’Ogalo who jumped over Mathare United who drew 1-1 with AFC Leopards on Saturday to second on goal difference. Both are tied on 31.

The chill at Nairobi’s Nyayo National Stadium extended to the pitch as the champions failed to ignite their challenge for a record fourth successive title after dropping points for the second game in a row against opposition their superior quality ought to have put to bed.

Minutes to the end of the 90 and in time added on, frustrated K’Ogalo fans started cat-calls against their team’s lethargy in labouring against a side that parked the proverbial bus and invited them to attack in the second half after rattling them in the first.

It was an all too familiar story for the former Brazil international, Marcelo ‘Ze Maria’ Ferreira who saw his team’s enterprise neutered by back to the wall defending for the second weekend in a row after a 1-1 draw against Kakamega with match officials once again contriving to dull the spectacle in the closing half with unnecessary stoppages.

“It’s sad what is happening in Kenya. I don’t like talking about referees. This is football, there is contact. Every time when our player touched an opponent, it was a foul. All teams in Kenya play against us this way, from Tusker to Sofapaka, its not good, you must try to win the game sometimes.

“The game was tactical and we changed something to see what would happen but we made mistakes. In the second half, we played better football,” Ze Maria lamented at the containment tactics deployed by his opponents.

“It’s part of the game. The game was so tough so a draw is a plus for me. My players were not calm to convert chances into goal in the first half, we lost it and that is it. There were many stoppages in the second half that froze the game,” Kenyatta who was satisfied with the point offered.

“If anything the referee helped Gor. Time has come we respect other teams, we also prepared like they prepared and no one is guaranteed to win,” the taxmen’s boss added in a barb aimed at the champions.

There was drama after the final whistle when Gor’s physical fitness trainer, Sandro Fantoni, removed his jersey and stormed into the field to confront the referees for what he termed biased officiating before he was prevailed upon to calm down and return his clothing by his players and technical bench colleagues.

It took the intervention of police officers and stewards to calm the situation as irate fans almost roughed up the centre referee Peter Waweru, when the match-handlers were heading to the dressings room.

“The referee allowed Ushuru players to waste a lot of time especially in the last quarter of the match. He should have done better. We however accept the result, our focus has not changed,” K’Ogalo’s Team Manager, Tom Ogweno, complained further.

But it could have been worse for K’Ogalo had Ushuru capitalised on their ascendancy in the opening exchanges.

Lamine Diallo, who’s winning goal sunk Gor 1-0 in the first leg’s Mashemeji Derby against bitter rivals Leopards was once again a thorn in their side after moving to Ushuru in the June transfer window.

He almost punished Ze Maria’s charges with a close range shot after dodging Musa Mohammed, but Harambee Stars number one Boniface Oluoch denied his smart finish aimed at the far post before spurning three more attempts all coming in the opening 15.

Missing the departed Khalid Aucho as the cog at the centre of the pack, Gor struggled to find their dangerous front men in Tuyisenge and Kagere as George ‘Blackberry’ Odhiambo failing to orchestrate play in a midfield of five.

Ze Maria sought to use the long ball to bypass the tight Ushuru back line in the opening half but abandoned the tactic to his preferred passing build-up approach that gave their opponents the chance to revert to their preferred strategy of sitting deep and last ditch defending.

-Muhoroni soar-

In Muhoroni, Joseph Nyaga gave Rangers the lead before Wycliffe Nyangechi hauled the home side back level ten minutes later and it only took them a further 120 seconds to establish a 2-1 lead.

Ogolla’s side held on to move up to fifth on 28 while Rangers slipped to seventh, two adrift as Muhoroni’s second leg resurgence continued.

Daniel Onyango’s winner in the 50th pulled Sony further away from trouble and established themselves in the top eight chase when they sunk the Dockers at the Awendo Green home ground.

The 2006 champions are now ninth (23) one below Chemelil who occupy the final top eight place having started the season fearing the chop.

Sofapaka took only ten minutes to get in front against Kakamega when Moses Odhiambo found the back of the net but Ali Bhai secured a share of the points in the 36th.

Kakamega jumped above Ushuru and Leopards to tenth (23) as their top flight status looks increasingly secure following their return to the KPL having promised not to straight back down as they did in 2013.

Batoto ba Mungu are still rock bottom and eight points from safety with 12 games of the season left to salvage their top flight status.

Tags:

Gor Mahia FC Kenyan Premier League football Posta Rangers Ushuru FC Muhoroni Youth

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