Gor Denied Chance To Scale SPL Summit By Fighting Western Stima

20th February 2019 - by Louis Kalinga

Champions forced to accept a share of the spoils in a 1-1 stalemate at MISC Kasarani where visitors came from behind to level the contest

Gor Mahia FC fans in full voice during the recent Mashemeji Derby against AFC Leopards SC. PHOTO/SPN

SUMMARY

The champions went ahead in the 27th minute through an unlikely scorer in Ernest Wendo but James Ogada equalised for Stima early in the second half
Both teams were coming off slim wins with the record 17-time league holders ending the five-match winning streak of 2009 champions Sofapaka FC at the Afraha Stadium in Nakuru as the power men edged basement side, Mt. Kenya United FC 2-1
Oluoch failed to get on the end of a teasing Boniface Omondi free kick in added time and that was the last real chance to produce a winner as the teams went to the dressing rooms with a share of the spoils

NAIROBI, Kenya- Champions Gor Mahia FC missed out on a chance to go top of the SportPesa Premier League (SPL) table after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Western Stima FC on Wednesday evening at the Moi Internationals Sports Centre, Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi.

The champions went ahead in the 27th minute through the unlikely scorer in Ernest Wendo but James Ogada equalised for Stima early in the second half.

Both teams were coming off slim wins with the record 17-time league holders ending the five-match winning streak of 2009 champions Sofapaka FC at the Afraha Stadium in Nakuru as the power men edged basement side, Mt. Kenya United FC 2-1.

Hassan Oktay’s giants came into the game knowing all three points would take them to the summit, level on points with Bandari FC but with a better goal difference with a game in hand while Stima were smarting from being docked three points after being found guilty of fielding an ineligible player against Tusker FC.

Kenya record goal scorer Dennis Oliech was the captain of the day with regular skipper Harun Shakava rested from the game entirely with no place for the defender on the bench.

Right-back Geoffrey Ochieng’ was handed a rare start and was first to trouble Samuel Odhiambo in the Stima goal with a shot cum cross that the keeper tipped over the bar in the opening minute.

Inches over

The resultant corner landed on top scorer and Rwanda international Jacques Tuyisenge’s head but he could not keep it down as it went inches over the bar.

Stima did a good job of keeping Gor at bay until the champions finally picked the defensive lock when Wendo pounced on a loose ball in the penalty area to score past Stima keeper Odhiambo with a right-footed shot.

The record league champions almost doubled their advantage a minute later after Lawrence Juma found Oliech but his attempted lob the Stima custodian flew over the bar.

With five minutes left to play in the first half, Gor defender Joash Onyango went down for the second time in a couple of minutes and was stretchered off to be replaced by Joachim Oluoch in the first change of the game.

Stima looked more lively as the second half got underway and in the 52nd they were level courtesy of a long range effort from James Ogada that bounced just in front of Fredrick Odhiambo in the K'Ogalo goal and the custodian did not have time to read the trajectory of the ball before it nestled inside the net.

With the scores level the intensity of the game heightened with Gor pressing forward and the visitors content to sit back, absorb the pressure and profit from a counter.

Stima made their first change in the 63rd, bringing on Patrick Otieno in place of Fredrick Nyarombo.

It was the champions who fashioned the next scoring chance when right back Ochieng’ found substitute Omondi with a delightful cross field pass which the latter brought down well but his shot on goal took a slight deflection to take the sting off the shot, making it easy for Odhiambo in the Stima goal to gather.

Kenya international winger, George 'Blackberry' Odhiambo came off and was replaced by Nicholas Kipkirui in the 74th as Oktay made it clear he was after all three points.

The game became scrappy and with eight minutes of normal time left to play as Gor abandoned any form of co-ordinated build-up play in favour of lumping the ball forward abd hoping it would fall kindly to one of their three attackers.

Oluoch failed to get on the end of a teasing Boniface Omondi free kick in added time and that was the last real chance to produce a winner as the teams went to the dressing rooms with a share of the spoils.