The gap will only get wider; Gors Oktay mocks title rivals

Gor Mahia head coach Hassan Oktay has hit out at Ulinzi Stars’ aggressive approach to Monday’s Kenya Premier League (KPL) match at the Afraha Stadium in Nakuru where his side won 2-1 thanks to strikes from Erisa Ssekisambu and former soldier Samuel Onyango.

The 17-time KPL champions lost Ugandan left-back Shafik Batambuze to injury and the Cypriot could not mince his words at the 2010 KPL champions in a dig also aimed at some of the calls made by match referee.

“How they played, I think they got ten yellow cards. Their number four(Harun Mwale) committed sixteen or seventeen fouls. We lost Batambuze but still I don’t want to say much about the referees, but please they have to look at it themselves, they have to improve in here. Some referees are good, some need to improve,” lamented the 45-year old.

OKtay also claims he is not surprised by his side’s lead atop the KPL standings, despite playing lesser games than their close competitors.

Gor have been in a fixture glut playing after every two or three days as they bid to catch up on their pending matches and according to the 45-year old, he was well aware their title challengers Sofapaka and Bandari would experience a dip in form, as the race hits up.

His side’s nine-point cushion at the summit of the KPL log seemingly   backs his school of thought.

K’Ogalo boast of a return of 58 points from 25 rounds, as Sofapaka and Bandari come in second and third on 49 and 45 points respectively, and Oktay maintains that the gap will only get wider.

“We have to concentrate. Every single game for us is very important. We have to keep that gap. I knew and I told them (players) Bandari and Sofapaka will drop points, which they did. They still will drop more points and I don’t think we will stop, we will not stop,” he charged.

On his part, Ulinzi Stars counterpart Benjamin Nyangweso decried bad luck for the loss, which is his third after recently returning to the helm of the four-time KPL champions, replacing Dunstan Nyaudo.

Nwangeso is adamant the result is not a fair representation of his sides exploits on the pitch hinting at a classic showdown at Mbaraki Sports Club when they visit third-placed Bandari on Thursday.

“It was a good game and the boys played really well only that we did not take our chances.  It is just by bad luck that we have lost. We have lost this but we are going to re-strategize as we head out to Bandari. We will fight so as not to lose two in a row,” he offered.

Ulinzi are eighth on the KPL log with 36 points from 26 rounds.