Gor Mahia fight back to draw 3-3 with KCB
Gor Mahia were at one point down 3-0 in this encounter against KCB. They then scored two goals to reduce the deficit to 3-2 at halftime. As KCB parked the bus, Gor Mahia scored a late equalizer. The players showed a lot of character today.
Additional reporting from the Nation
Burundian import Francis Mustafa scored at the death as champions Gor Mahia came from three goals down to draw 3-3 with KCB in a six-goal thriller SportPesa Premier League match at Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos on Thursday.
Gor now need 12 points from their the remaining eight fixtures to retain the title for the third time in a row. KCB have extended their winless run to six games in a row and have 31 points from 27 rounds. KCB were forced into an early sub on 20 minutes after Baraka Badi was hobbled off the pitch with an injury, Nichodemus Onyango replaced him.
KCB took the lead in the 24th minute through Martin Nderitu, who capitalised on a defensive lapse from K’Ogalo, with a deft little finish from close range to the bottom right corner of the net. They were forced into an early sub on 20 minutes after Baraka Badi was hobbled off the pitch with an injury, Nichodemus Onyango replaced him.
Bolton Omwenga doubled the bankers’ lead on 27 minutes with an incredible 30-yard free kick over the wall into the top right corner after Ernest Wendo had fouled Benson Amianda, the former going into the referee’s book. Six minutes later, Omwenga completed his brace with yet another long range shot, this time round dipping to the far post from the left wing after Gor goalkeeper Shaban Odhoji had left his area.
Shell shocked, Gor Mahia bombarded the KCB box and their efforts paid off in the 37th minute through Harun Shakava’s free header off a Samuel Onyango corner kick. Gor coach Hassan Oktay reacted quickly with a double change on 38 minutes pulling out Hashim Sempala and Erisa Ssekisambu for Boniface Omondi and Dennis Oliech respectively. The substitutions changed the tempo of the game as Gor looked hungrier in front of goal.
Onyango, who scored Gor’s second against Ulinzi Stars on Monday, added the second goal at the stroke of halftime from inside the area with the bankers defence left helpless.
Five minutes after the restart, Ssekisambu saw his flicked header punched out by Zamu Adisa in the KCB goal and on 13 minutes, Hashim Sempala forced the former Thika United shot-stopper to another point-blank save from a free kick outside the18 area after Baraka Badi had brought down Ssekisambu. Jacques Tuyisenge, who rested Nicholas Kipkirui on 58 minutes, floated in a pinpoint cross and Francis Mustafa saw his effort cleared off the line in the 77th minute.
Awuoro Pamzo. …He said it and they have tried. But one point is not bad.
Coming from three goals down to draw 3-3 is not a mean achievement. It shows the real champions character. However, conceding three goals in the first half against Kcb is not something good to hear. What went wrong? whose department was not working? what plans are there to avoid the same occurrence on Sunday? These question s must be answered by non other than Oktay.
What a ferocious come back. Is KCB becoming Gor Mahia’s bogey team? Awouro Pamzo yawaah.
Thanks for the hard fought comeback
Phew, that was a tough call. That is a rare fighting spirit and congratulations team. But we need to hear what went wrong in the first thirty minutes, that is a cause for worry indeed
It is reported that one of the KCB goals was a Messy-like free kick and another a volley from almost half field. Hope this is correct. Now, with these kinds of goals, you can’t really blame anyone on the loosing side, unless we are starting to expect players to fly in the air to intercept balls. The god of footballing luck just smiled for KCB today. That’s it. But our boys’ comeback was just remarkable. That’s the true never-say-die spirit of a champion. Managing to go against the gods of football, who seem to have decided to gift KCB today, is no mean feat.
Even as we congratulate the boys and the TB for this, special mention should go to one player, who has always received negative reviews from us fans. Mustafa. Has anyone noticed that his presence and contribution is beginning to be felt in recent matches. In the previous match against Ulinzi, he did a good ran to the right edge of the field, looked up and saw the advancing Ssesikambu and provided a well calculated pin point cross strait to his head. Ssesikambu’s only role was to change the direction of the ball and it was in. Today, he has scored one of the most valuable goals we have scored in recent times. Is he slowly starting to show his true colours? Could this be the potential that the coach sees in him hence why he is always on the starting line up? Congrats young man if you are reading this. Just work on you final touch and you could become the true Kagere replacement you ought to be.
@Cale, I wish to join you in support of Mustafa Francis. I’ve always believed that at times players would struggle in their first seasons in a new country or playing environment for that matter as they get to acclimatize with the changes. This has happened even with some of the well known world beaters and Francis isn’t an exception. He’s starting to come good for the team and barring any injury with a continued game time, he’ll soon explode in to a gem. Should his selection continue, he’ll become a mainstay in the team and opponents will find it tough with him. I just hope that by writing this, I’m not jinxing him in any way. @Francis, if you get to read this, then just know that you’re on the right track and progressing well. Keep the fire burning. #AnGorEmaAhero
Congratulations team k’ogalo for the come back after going down 3-0.I know that we wanted to win but a point is not bad considering our rotational policy which in my view is good and bad. Is good in the sense that players get playing time and also play fresh with full fitness. But it’s bad because that coordination which we expect to see is lacking. I really miss muguna and kahata who have become a joy to watch play. Odhoji also can’t sustain performance for some period and if I were the powers that is in the technical bench, I would advice that ha takes a back seat. I know him and when he starts conceding, it will be a tall order for players. That’s my opinion
Congrats team .That’s the spirit. Jasego?
Two goals the goalkeeper messed us up
Goal keeping was our undoing, we should have easily won the game
I need some help here…
According to the report above,Gor made a double change in the 38th minute,pulling out Sempala and Ssekisambu for Omondi and Oliech.
Then it goes on to say…five minutes after the restart,Ssekisambu saw his flicked header punched out by Adisa in the kcb goal!!
How did that happen?from the bench or what?some of the reports we get here can be very misleading!!
@Fred Odhiambo I concur with your observation. I was also wondering about who was rested for who?
Away from that I think this was one of the most scintillating come back that Gor has treated us to of late. Congratulation to the entire tea. For me certain things came out:
1. KCB like Bandari have really become our bogey Teams and this is good.
2. Real Character in Sports is never say die until it is all over.
3. A Coach must know who can be called to when it is inevitable as was yesterday. Oktay did it and it paid off.
4. In playing catch up games like Gor is doing, unity of purpose and resolve is what keeps you afloat.
5. The Team Character that has been and is still being built at Gor must turned out to be a virtue at the Club. We need this and like I said in one of my contributions, the North African Teams have always beaten us in this. They never say die until it is all over. Weather you beat them in the first leg they always believe they will win the second leg. We will be meeting them again soon. So we must build on this.
Finally, I still see very difficult games ahead and we must brace ourselves. Every opponent is breathing fire on Gor and they will do every thing possible to break the unbeaten record according to them. Gor is the yardstick.
Remaining Fixtures Gor Mahia FC
05.05. 15:00 Western Stima Vs Gor Mahia
08.05. 15:00 Chemelil Vs Gor Mahia
12.05. 16:15 Gor Mahia Vs Sofapaka
15.05. 15:00 Nzoia Sugar Vs Gor Mahia
19.05. 15:00 Leopards Vs Gor Mahia
22.05. 15:00 Gor Mahia Vs Vihiga United
25.05. 15:00 Posta Rangers Vs Gor Mahia
29.05. 15:00 Gor Mahia Vs Mathare Utd.
Remaining Fixtures Sofapaka
05.05. 16:15 Tusker Vs Sofapaka
08.05. 14:00 Sofapaka Vs Western Stima
12.05. 16:15 Gor Mahia Vs Sofapaka
18.05. 15:00 Nzoia Sugar Vs Sofapaka
22.05. 14:00 Sofapaka Vs Chemelil
25.05. 15:00 Bandari Vs Sofapaka
29.05. 15:00 Sofapaka Vs Kakamega Homeboyz