Gor Mahia edge Posta Rangers 2-1
Gor Mahia moved further up the league table when they beat Posta Rangers 2-1 at Kasarani on Wednesday.
Dennis Oliech scored his first ever goal for Gor Mahia on the stroke of halftime. Charles Momanyi had scored the opener in the 27th minute. Posta Rangers then equalized in the 41st minute. Oliech then restored Gor Mahia’s lead.
Additional reporting from the Nation
Dennis “The Menace” Oliech on Wednesday scored his first goal for Gor Mahia as he helped the defending champions edge a stubborn Posta Rangers 2-1 in a rescheduled SportPesa Premier League match at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
Oliech scored the winner deep in added time of first half after Ranger’s Francis Nambute had cancelled out Charles Momanyi’s opener.
Gor Mahia coach Hassan Oktay had moaned about the bluntness of his forwards after a frustrating 1-1 draw with Mathare United on Sunday, his frustrations manifesting with Wednesday’s team selection.
Oktay dropped Jacques Tuyisenge and Nicholas Kipkirui for Dennnis Oliech and Burundian Francis Mustafa. The Cypriot had praised Oliech after his cameo appearance in the match against his former club and the former Harambee Stars needed only a half a chance to remind doubting Thomases what he is capable of.
Deep in stoppage time of first half, Oliech received a low cross from Wellington Ochieng, took a lovely half turn freeing himself from his marker Gilbert Osonga. With only Rangers keepr Eliud Emase to beat, Oliech neatly tucked the ball away in bottom right corner past the diving custodian.
This was the kind of finishing that Oktay had demanded of his strikers on Sunday afternoon.
Gor Mahia started the match strongly and should have gone ahead with hardly a minute on the clock when Shafik Batambuze’s effort was cleared on the line by Joseph Mbugi with Rangers’ keeper Levis Opiyo well beaten.
The Mailmen survived another scare five minutes later when Francis Kahata’s intended cross came off the cross bar with Opiyo once again nowhere in sight.
At the other end, a lively Nambute almost grabbed the lead against the run of play when he sneaked in between Gor’s new central defensive partnership of Momanyi and Pascal Ogweno to connect on a Danson Kago’s cross but his glancing header drifted inches over the bar.
Jerry Santos gave away a cheap corner after he had received a suicide pass from the unsettled Opiyo and was harried down by Lawrence Juma. It was from this corner that the defending champions took the lead in a scrappy fashion.
Opiyo, once again undecided, came off his line but failed to deal with Kahata’s in-swinger spilling the ball in the six yard box. With the ball bobbling around, the keeper stranded, Momanyi reacted fast to prod home from close range to hand K’Ogalo the lead in 27th minute.
As Momanyi wheeled away to celebrate the opener, Opiyo lay protrate on the ground needing medical attention. After a seven-minute stoppage, Rangers medical team signaled to the technical bench that Opiyo would not be able to continue with the game forcing John Kamau to throw in Eliud Emase.
Posta looked to have used the break to calm their nerves as Brian Osumba disposed Ogweno at the edge of the box before squairing to an onrushing Nambute. With Momanyi lurking behind him, the youngster produced an improvised back heel finish that left Gor keeper Peter Odhiambo rooted on the spot as he watched the ball roll into the net.
An incensed Oktay pulled out Ogweno for the school boy howler but Oliech ensured that Gor went back to the sheds with the lead.
Kamau threw in Ken Mutembei and Louis Tera in search of an equalizer but the Gor Mahia defence remain resolute and neat. On the end Oliech was a constant threat at one point beating four markers to unleash a screamer that whizzed inches wide off the target with Emase, just like Opiyo, well beaten.
@Ingo, Dennis Oliech has scored despite your negative comments about his age…..do you still have any other comment to make…?
INGO if you are reading this….Oliech says that he has read everything you said. He cant wait playing ingwe his first goal will be dedicated to you
Semeji, I have been gone for a while. Kumbe siku hizi maplayer wa Gor piya wana contribute to this forum???? Wewewewewe. Mumeendelea sana….Gor player please listen young man. We respect Oliech like we respect any other old man. Tafadhali mwambiye anyamaze because Kamura na Isuza watamfunza.
We do not play in the same league with the aforementioned players!!! Once again what did you say their names are? We are going for our 18th title, the sixth in 7 years while Efusi is still waiting for the first one in 20 years. What a shame!!! Continue to wait shemeji.
Though it may be too early to celebrate Oliech, I think its amazing that he scored on his first start. That might be a sign of things to come when he attains full match fitness.
Someone remind Ingo that Ronaldo is currently 33, and Messi is 31. Drogba was 36 when he rejoined Chelsea. Age is just a number. All that matters is determination, and it looks like Deno ‘the Menance’ has it.
We are happy!!!!
Did not attend the match
What did quikan do release him he should go in pease,thanks Demo ur are going to prove against odd publication Mora,Mora mora
Our system of play is still wanting, no ball transition from the back to midfield then create scoring chance,alot of long balls forward hence making the strikers do alot of running with no t much effectiveness,the coach should work on this,ortherwise congrats to the menace wuod Mary wish you well in future,
Congratulations to the team. About Oliech’s goal, we can learn a few things. He is aware of high expectations upon his shoulder. This goal therefore gives him some confidence to build on. Secondly, football is about intelligence, hard work and working smart. You can be running all over the field like a honda but as fluffy as a dodo. I think his experience over the years will be a factor in the team.
Congratulations Gor Mahia, that was a well deserved win. We thank the Lord for giving us this win. Now let’s prepare well for the Cameroonians. We should be able to beat them convincingly and please, please, please do not give them an away goal. God bless Kogalo.
‘Manace’ deno wuod Merry pek ka ruath to riek ka apwoyo ????… Love his experience in football,,, am surprise demo was signed just recently and has started scoring what is it that Erika the whatever is doing in Gor?? Think its better if we loan them for better Kogallo anywai kudos boyz…
Kumbe there were chaos in Enugu.
Two players suspended
With Shakava and Joash off the CAF game won’t we have it rough?
Itabidi hapo Momanyi na pascal wasimame kabisa
As hard as the decision to suspend the two is, It must reality to every player that like soldiers they must be ready at all times for they can be called into serious action or combat any moment. They is no fence sitting whether in practice or playing. All games whether domestic or international or even friendly, are supposed to be taken with seriousness. Now, The guys filling those positions, the challenge is you have the opportunity to do even better by playing your heart out with full commitment and with full home crowd support behind you. It is a time play and not time to mourn over what has happened. As to Kogallo family, we usually say that Gor is a big team which basically translates to saying that every player is a serious player. With our full support this weekend, we can create a good atmosphere for that back line to be fully closed. Se you there
CAF belong to North and West. If you slap me and i kick you , who is on the wrong? Again is it wrong to talk to referee after the match. These people does not want Gor mahia to progress and they have succeeded. Every time we go to Tunisia , we must be mistreated and no action has ever been taken against them . Washenzi …They should leave us alone.
We have all been wondering how we lost at Enugu with all the firepower we had kumbe those Lobstars used underhand tactics.So we were denied a penalty and Samuel’s goal
How comes the EC did not brief ud of these ugly incidents which occured in Nigeria? It is strange.
Are you aware that Gor Mahia officials missed today’s mandatory IMOC International Match Organizing Committee meeting to discus Sundays Match security arrangements.
Do we need to fast and PRAY for Gor Mahia EC?