Ze Maria unimpressed as Tuyisenge lifts Gor

SportPesa Premier League (SPL) champions, Gor Mahia are only four points off the top after a Jacques Tuyisenge double saw them rally from behind to hit Thika United 2-1 at Nyayo National Stadium on Wednesday night.

Assistant coach, Tom Ogweno, had earlier reported the Rwandese international will not feature in the game only for his second half brace to cancel out a brilliant solo effort opener from Mwinyi Kibwana in the 24th minute of the game.

Keeper Hamza Mwonge was given his marching orders after clattering Tuyisenge just outside the box as the striker who cost the champions a record Ksh4m bore down on goal.

Gor who registered their first win last weekend when they blanked Kakamega Homeboyz 3-0 in Mumias are right back in the groove, improving to 10 points and sixth position after a wretched start to the campaign.

And Tuyisenge’s outlay that brought the forward from Police FC has started paying returns after the striker notched his third goal in two games having scored and set up another in their crushing defeat of Homeboyz.

It was also their second victory on the bounce under, Ze Maria, but the former Brazil international was not impressed by the manner his charges started the game.

“I don’t like the game because we did not play well, we can play much better than we did today (Wednesday). I’m happy for the victory, the three points but not the game.

“We need to make good games, we need to win games. We have won six points and that is important for us as we try to win the league,” Ze Maria said post match.

“We can play play much better than this. I want to win games but playing well. We have big players, we are trying to change the mentality we had before,” the K’Ogalo boss added.

“The red card was a changing moment for us. That is football; we are going to work hard so that we can win the next matches. That was 50-50, the keeper came out and such things happen in football.

“In the second half we did not play well, we did not shut the Gor wing backs. I know we will get better,” his opposite number, James Nandwa said.

Thika who are just above the drop zone on goal difference silenced the Green Army when Kibwana outran Karim Nizigiyamana on the left before unleashing a powerful shot past Boniface Oluoch who was returning to the first team in the league for the first time.

After going to the break behind, Ze Maria brought on Jacob Keli and Francis Kahata for Enoch Agwanda and George ‘Blackberry’ Odhiambo at the restart.

The switch inspired his side to pour forward in search of the reveller and Tuyisenge found the net on the 65th after tapping in a rebound after Thika’s Mwonge blocked Keli’s initial strike in a crowded box.

Mwonge saw red for clattering to the Rwandese who was growing prominent as the game went on and he clinched victory with a bullet header past Eliud Emase who came on for the ejected keeper from an Innocent Wafula pin-point cross.

K’Ogalo are closing in on joint leaders, Tusker FC, Mathare United and arch rivals AFC Leopards who are on 14 at the summit.