The mashemeji derby is here
Gor Mahia take the field against arch rivals AFC Leopards on Sunday at Nyayo stadium eager to consolidate their lead over Tusker in the Kenya Premier league given that Tusker are breathing down their neck. Any slip up and Tusker could pull ahead or pull even.
More importantly, Gor Mahia will be eager to make up for their 1-3 loss against AFC in the first leg encounter. Opportunities for revenge rarely come this soon and Gor Mahia will welcome this one. In the last match, there was significant instability in the Gor Mahiua camp amid rumours of who was leaving and who was not. AFC skilfully poured fuel on this instability by spreading rumours that they were intent on signing Sserunkuma, David Owino and Rama Salim. Gor Mahia played poorly and it has to be admitted that AFC deserved to win.
Now that there is a measure of stability, Gor Mahia’s performance is bound to be better. Gor Mahia fans will be hoping that coach Williams has studied AFC enough and has come up with a formula to win. A major weakness for Gor Mahia last time was the flanks. AFC took full advantage of Gor Mahia fullbacks’s constant forays upfront to launch their attacks from the wings. It was reminiscent of Amwayi and Musuku in 1984. Gor Mahia will have shored up their defence this time around.
Sserunkuma is back !
Dan Sserunkuma resumed training on Friday after having returned from Denmark where he underwent trials with HB Koge of Denmark’s second tier. The trials did not go well for Serunkuma. “I will be happy to walk out of Nyayo Stadium a peaceful man. Lets maintain peace on Sunday and may the best team win.” said Ronald Ngala to goal.com
Gor Mahia fans will be hoping that “Danny Flava” will take his frustrations on his opponents on Sunday. he should be able to pick up his budding partnership with fast rising Timothy Otieno.
Aside from Sserunkuma, Gor Mahia will also be able to call upon fellow Ugandans Dan Walusimbi and Geoffrey Kizito who have been away on international duty.
Are the players feeling pressure ?
Coach Williamson has recently appealed to fans to stop pressuring players. “I do my best to bring confidence in the team and I can assure you we’ll do our best on Sunday. I understand the derby means a lot to them the same way it means to us but it’s not a matter of life and death! Don’t condemn players on social media, don’t pressure us,”.
Perhaps Williamson should instruct players not to pay attention to constant fan critiques.
Appeal for peace
Gor Mahia and AFC officials Chris Omondi and George Aladwa have come together to appeal for peace ahead of the derby.
“We are all brothers and sisters and should maintain peace during Sunday’s match. We must show the whole world that we are brothers and should not disappoint.
“I will be happy to see a peaceful match like what happened in first leg. Football is about losing and winning and whoever goes down should embrace the other,” Aladwa told goal.com.
“I will be happy to walk out of Nyayo Stadium a peaceful man. Lets maintain peace on Sunday and may the best team win.” Omondi addd
The appeal for peace is timely. Gor Mahia fans will need to maintain the calmness they have displayed this year.
New look
Gor Mahia will likely don their Joma
3 points is what we ! I think Danny flava should come off the bench..whenever he starts our game is usually very predictable.
Are we going to buy the New replica Jerseys at the stadium tomorrow? Somebody please update….
I remain optimistic that we will win and at worst get a draw.
Just a warning – if we want to win it then our defense must remain steady and avoid overlapping unless necessary. It can be worn easily if we play with 4 defenders and not 3 or 2 as we have been doing in many occasions and conceding through counter-attacks.
All the best team Gor Mahia.
I can see a victory and believe that Almighty God have spoken. We surrender all to you God and thank you for blessing K’ogalo forever.
This is why I think Ingwe will win:
a) With or without a couple of national team players, Gor lost to a lower division team just a week ago. Ingwe were in the same situation in the Nile cup but made it to the finals. This show how weak this team is
b) Most of the Gor players have not played in a derby and have no solid experience either. I doubt that they can handle the pressure that comes with the game.
c)The players spirits at Gor are low; thanks to non-payment of salaries and bonuses plus KRA issues etc
d)Gor has lost the last two games to leopards. The last one being convincingly. Gor can thank the ref for not allowing a genuine Ingwe Goal. it could have been 4-1.
e) Does anyone out there think that the current Gor team is better than the one that played Ingwe in the 1st leg? Even your own keeper Jerry will tell you that this is a weaker team. If that is the case, should we be thinking of about 5 or 6 goal defeat this time around?
f) Finally, you are facing a strong wounded leopard.
The well oiled ingwe machine is back up and running on all cylinders. Chui hatambui ni nyasi gani swara amejificha.
Viva Ingwe Viva!
@ingo, derbys have never been determined by form. Those strengths ypu are talking about can be your weakness. Remember when gor played a man less after Abondo’s red card? This strong team has only won one match since beating gor.meanwhile the weakrgor iis leading the table while the strong ingwe is struggling to break into the top 10. Mind you that even a draw takes ingwe back to position 13.
please say hi to Ben Disi
l agree with Jakoyo’s suggestion that Ssere should start from the bench to disorganise Efusi plan and also Musa should be considered in position 2 coz in first leg Oluoch struggled in that position as his crosses were always off the target.
ln tommorrow’s derby,we will need fast defenders given the pace of Efusi forwards. ln mid with Kizito and Gatusso l’m less worried though Eriko should learn to release ball early not holding it and giving incomplete passes.l’m very confident that tommorrow is PAY BACK TIME despite Ogwang’s financial muscle with their so called”stars”. Gor 2 – AFC 0.
Well said Omwami Ingo. Efusi is truly the favourite but now what do you advise us to do? Flee? Surely Omwami are you suggesting that we coil our tail between our legs and flee from the menacing Leopard? Our love for Gor Mahia cannot allow us to do that.
If it was written that 27th July 2014 is the day Efusi will exterminate Gor Mahia and bury then so be it but we will die with our team. The boys need us and we shall be there for them. Scotsman Bobby Williamson needs us and we shall be there for him.
Eh! Omwami. You are seriously talking of 5 or 6 goals? The beauty is that should you do that then you will be giving us more reason to beat you convincingly in the next derby after this….and is it do-able Omwami. One thing we have told the Scotsman is not to let Efusi go Scot free this time round because the work of Efusi is to be beaten.
Omwami let me leave you with this and please promise to be there:
Wenzanguu wenzangu, Gor kipenzi chetu
Hatutaiwacha milele daima!
Hata Efusi akija na vitisho
Mimi ni Ja-K’Ogalo daima
Hata walete kuku uwanjani
Mimi ni Ja-K’Ogalo daima.
Barefoot that’s why you are one of my favorite bloggers here. You have an articulate way of disarming Kogalo critiques..
Viva Ingwe Viva
Catch the “Mashemeji Derby’s” tactical review at http://kpltactics.wordpress.com/
Plus KPL & CECAFA fixtures.
The 90 minutes will determine who will carry the day may the best team win.peace at all whatever the outcome.God bless.