Birthday Boy Ondiek Strikes In Gor's Thrashing Of Zoo In Machakos

MACHAKOS, Kenya- Record league champions Gor Mahia FC returned to winning ways in resounding fashion by thrashing Zoo FC 4-1 at the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos on Thursday afternoon.

Head coach Dylan Kerr rested most of his regular starting XI and the understudies grabbed their chance with both hands as the Briton continues to weigh which players to take to the trip to the UK to face Everton FC at Goodison Park on November 6.

Goals from Wesley Onguso, Jacques Tuyisenge and Wellington Ochieng’ put the winners in a commanding 3-1 advantage in the first half of their SportPesa Premier League (SPL) encounter that saw Mike Madoya level the game at 1-1 when he scored for Zoo.

Bernard Ondiek sealed the rout early in the second period that saw Madoya spurn the chance to add respectability to the defeat when he blazed a spot kick wide in the dying minutes of the contest.

K’Ogalo’s first win in five SPL outings extended their tally to 75 points, 16 clear of second-placed Bandari FC ahead of the final day of the 2018 season on Sunday.

Gor began well, stringing lovely passes but the decisive final ball proved elusive in the opening exchanges.

The 18-year old Raphael Asudi, who impressed over the weekend in the 2-2 draw against Mathare United FC at their coronation in Kisumu last Sunday, justified the faith shown by his manager when he crafted the opener after only 15 minutes.

Left corner

The teenager teed up Onguso who smashed in a sweet left-footed shot that nestled into the bottom left corner of the beaten Zoo keeper Daniel Kiptoo’s net.

Zoo responded well as they started to take charge of the possession but the game progressed without either side really getting a chance at goal as play morphed into a battle to control the midfield.

The lull was broken in the 28th when Gor had a goal controversially chalked off for offside by the assistant referee and handed a reprieve, Zoo struck four minutes later.

Madoya, the 2017 SPL Most Valuable Player, was inevitably the goal-scorer for the Kericho-based side that ensured their safety last weekend when he beat Shaban Odhoji who was guarding the K’Ogalo net.

Instead of the setback rattling the champions, the response was as devastating as they come as Gor raced to a 3-1 lead inside five minutes, leaving their opponents reeling in the ropes wondering what hit them.

Kerr’s side swept to the title with six games to spare in August and in the minutes that followed their concession, they gave a timely reminder why no one in the SPL could live with them when they turn on the throttles to full power.

A minute after Madoya was mobbed by his teammates, the titleholders were ahead in electrifying fashion. Cercidy Okeyo and Asudi exchanged blinding passes before the latter threaded the ball to Burundi striker, Francis Mustapha.

Without breaking stride, he fed Tuyisenge who made no mistake, claiming his 15th of the tally that tied him with departed ex-Nzoia Sugar FC marksman Elvis Banda Rupia at the summit of the race for the 2018 Golden Boot.

Barely three minutes later (36’) Gor rattled Kiptoo’s net for the third from as many shots on target.

Ochieng’ won a free kick on the right flank which Francis Kahata floated in with precision for the former to rise above all and head in for 3-1 to the champions at half-time.

Birthday boy

Kerr hauled off Mustapha for Sammy Onyango at the beginning of the second period but the champions did not relent, picking off from where they had left and in the 50th birthday boy Bernard Ondiek smashed a sweet volley to give Gor what was eventually an unassailable 4-1 lead.

Zoo’s heads did not drop and in the 60th their substitute Derrick Anami got a good ball from Madoya, but his effort shot went straight at Odhoji in the K’Ogalo goal.

In the 71st, the coach gave Kahata a chance to rest as he brought on Kevin ‘Ade’ Omondi to offer the midfielder an opportunity to lay on further goals from midfield.

A looping Tuyisenge header two minutes later was as close as either team got to extending the goal tally since the last time the net bulged.

Ade then turned on the style, taking on two defenders on the edge of the Zoo penalty area before unleashing a left-footed wide that Kiptoo saw all the way through.

With nine minutes left in the game, Zoo launched a couple of good attacks toward goal but captain of the day, Charles Momanyi pulled off fantastic interceptions on both occasions.

The referee gave the Kericho-based side a chance to reduce the deficit when he pointed to the spot following a bad challenge in the box; Madoya stepped up to take the resulting spot-kick but blasted his effort over the bar.

The intensity in the heated encounter kept on until the dying moments with both sides tirelessly launching attack toward the opponents’ goal before the final whistle went to confirm the return of the champions to form.