Gor Mahia held by Mathare United 2-2
It was a second straight draw for Kogalo as Mathare scored a late goal to force a 2-2 draw.
Additional Reporting from Capital FM
MACHAKOS, Kenya, Apr 29- Clifford Alwanga stepped off the bench to score the equalizer as Mathare United held defending champions Gor Mahia to a 2-2 draw in a top of the table Kenyan Premier League clash at the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos.
Jack Tuyisenge’s brace had put Gor Mahia clear after Francis Omondi’s opener, but a much changed second half Mathare ensured they come off two back to back losses to pick a point that sees them retain the three-point gap between them and the leaders.
This is the second consecutive 2-2 draw from the defending champions who were held to a similar score-line in midweek away to Chemelil Sugar.
A frantic two minutes saw two goals scored in either end of the pitch.
First, Mathare broke the deadlock in the 16th minute though Francis Omondi whose freekick from the edge of the box after Cliff Nyakeya was fouled went beneath the wall and beat Shabaan Odhoji.
From the restart, K’Ogalo equalized immediately this time from the penalty spot, Tuyisenge taking responsibility after he had been hacked down by David Owino.
Though Robert Mboya had a touch on the ball, the power was too much as it dropped inside the net.
Almost immediately after drawing level, Gor should have gone up when Tuyisenge’s touch off a George ‘Blackberry’ Odhiambo cross from the left failed to direct the ball on target with only the keeper to beat.
Mathare’s tact was to sit back, soak in the pressure and hit on the counter using the pace of Cliff Nyakeya and Samuel Ndung’u on either win, but Gor had done their work right and ensured minimal balls landed on the flanks.
Gilbert Onsonga, making his first start of the season ahead of injured skipper George Owino had a torrid evening and was often caught off his guard by the dangerous Gor attack led by Tuyisenge and Meddie Kagere.
On the half hour mark, Ondonga failed to head away a freekick from Harun Shakava which landed on Humphrey Mieno’s feet, but the midfielder’s effort at swinging on a half volley on his second touch went over.
K’Ogalo went into the lead five minutes to the break through Tuyisenge who slammed the ball home after Omurwa had cleared a Kagere effort off the line.
Keeper Robert Mboya had failed to hold on to a cross from the right and Kagere picked up, dribbling past the custodian but his effort was blocked by Omurwa a few yards from goal with Mboya way off his line.
Mathare came back into the second half an improved side, partly thanks to some tactical switches made by head coach Francis Kimanzi. The error prone Onsongo was moved to right back with Olwande dropping into central defense.
Ndung’u was also brought off for Clifford Alwanga, a change that saw Chris Ochieng move out wide while Alwanga came into central attack.
The Slum Boys had two back to back chances, first David Owino’s shot from the right hitting the side netting after Chris Oduor beat Odhoji to the ball and set up his mate.
After that, Ochieng had an effort come off the bar when he raced into a delicious cross from the right with the Gor backline found sleeping.
Mathare kept exerting pressure on the league leaders and they had another chance when Omondi’s freekick this time from range was well tipped over the bar for a corner by Odhoji.
Onsonga was ultimately hauled off with natural right back Martin Ongori coming on as Kimanzi sought to rectify the pre-match error.
All this time, Gor had been pushed back by Mathare, but they had a chance off the break when substitute Samuel Onyango was played throygh by Kahata but his shot was saved by Mboya.
After surviving, Mathare exerted the pressure and Alwanga drew the sides level with a one time finish inside the box off an Ongori cross.
This had come just a minute after keeper Odhoji had made a brilliant save to parry away an effort from Edward Seda.
Line-Ups
Mathare United Staring XI: Mboya, Olwande, Osonga, Omurwa, Owino, Omondi,Oduor, Seda, Clifford Nyakeya, Ndung’u(Alwanga)
Subs: J.Ochieng’, Ongori, Okal, Ndonye, Reagan, Mwangi, Alwanga
Gor Mahia Starting XI: 16. Shaban Odhoji, 14. Innocent Wafula, 21. Wesley Onguso, 12. Joash Onyango, 18. Harun Shakava, 20. Ernest Wendo, 8. Francis Kahata, 30. Humphrey Mieno, 9. Jacques Tuyisenge, 25. George Odhiambo, 22. Meddie Kagere(Ephrem Guikan)
Sub: Frederick Odhiambo, 2. Godfrey Walusimbi, 27. Charles Momanyi, 24. Lawrence Juma, 26. Philemon Otieno, 6. Samuel Onyango, 19. Ephrem Guikan
today’s game we were so down
Very silly letting a lead go to waste while seeing clearly mathare has shifted formation and has an extra man in midfield hence putting immense pressure on us.Today TB tactical awareness was best aloof but let me stop there at the expense of being critical of a Coach i Respect.Kerr be more aware,sometimes champions grind results since situations demand for it,dont think everyday is Sunday & you will do what you did to Thika everytime.One defensive midfield change is all you needed to keep your win but instead you insisted on maintaining one that had been stretched & lost shape…
And stop benching Walusimbi,he is your key to stopping those crazy goals joash & co are letting in…Wafula is electric,one would think Karim is in the field of play
Shaban Odhoji also should be the 3rd choice keeper after Peter Odhiambo,he always lets in easy goals.Musa Mohammed re-signing in June required as our central defense is too pourous,.Shakes mbwakni but is effective and needs a more composed partner not one who is equally erratic if not more blunder prone than Captain fantastic himself…
Kerr leaking defence needs remedy. We’ve just conceded too much in a short span of time
Mbili mbili kama kawaida is taking a new not very pleasant meaning. Mathare really toyed with us today, they were very comfortable on the ball compared to most of our players whose ball control, first touch was suspect. We were at sixes and sevens in all departments. TB kazi kwenu, you need to beef up the squad with special attention on GK and defense. That said a draw is better than a loss. Next the meaningless friendly against efusi, time which could have been better spend training and rectifying our weak areas or even resting the squad who may be experiencing some burnout of sorts. Someone remind me when did we last score, a header, from a corner since Dawo’s 1987 heroics! So many corners are always wasted.
Why don’t you write that Mathare held by Gor mahia?
School boyish blunders, Samuel onyango let’s a scoring chance go then minutes later gives away the ball to be scored. First half was, second totally theirs. Bottomline, we are still unbeaten, a game at atime
School boy blunders. Forst a porous wall then a selfish act from Damuel Onyango. Too many lost chances. Strikers too comfortable. we got lots of similar balls that Alwanga scored but no one from our team wanted to soil themselves. We were tpo clean for a team playing in white in a muddy pitch
Top managers like Mourinoh will always make tactical defensive subs in order to protect the lead to the last minute,when Kerr brings in offensive players against an equally offensive team like Mathare then something is seriously wrong somewhere. Teams nowadays make a grand come back against Kogallo coz of improper substitutions, we are not happy Kerr! Learn to jealousy protect your lead always, mediocrity is slowly creeping in. Gor is not Posta who are masters of draws
Tactical genius on Kimanzi’s part outdid Kerr’s poor choices. Two of his substitutes Ongori and Alwanga combined to produce their equalizer. Our first substitute gave away the ball for their same second goal. Our other substitute missed two volleys that were easier to score than miss. Drawing is part of the game but it is becoming too annoying. Odhonji concedes too many goals while Joash makes so many errors. Who can read Kerr’s mind to please tell me why he rates these two players this highly?
Oooh Come On Guys! Give It To Kimanzi N His Brave Boys. Anybody Who Watched That Game Objectively Will Affirm That Mathare Is The Best Thing That Happened To Gor Mahia Before Caf Assignments.
The Standard Of The Game Was Up There, Superb. I Wish To Urge All Kpl Teams To Play With Gm The Way Mathare Did Today. Its Good For Our African Campaign. Gm Must Be Stretched N Made To Sweat For Each N Every Point On The Pitch.
Defending Champions don’t just concede 2 goals in two successive matches!!! I will spare Kerr for today but a repeat of such scoreline will definitely attract heavy criticism. Mathare overloads the right side of their offensive play and Gor Mahia reacts by bringing in a visibly half fit Guikan!!!!!!!!!! This was very naive from our technical bench considering that we had Walusimbi available. Unsurprisingly, Mathare got their equalizer by pingng in the ball from our left where Onguso seemed overwhelmed by waves of attack after attack by Mathare. Walusimbi should have been brought in to plug in the hole created by Onguso being overstretched time and time again. If we are not coaching our players to defend as a unit, then we have to prepare for more heartbreaks this season.
It Was The Defensive Midfield That Collapsed! After The Yellow Card Wendo Became Totally Ineffective N Thats Why Onguso Was Overwhelmed. Ama?
With That Kind Of Unintimidated Competitive Opposition Gm Can Only Get Better. So For Those Fans Who Expect A Roller Coaster Ride For Gm I Tell You Just Ship Out. Kudos Mathare United For Your Well Deserved Point!
And Yes, Tb Did Themselves In By Retaining Wendo, A Combative Midfieder, Handicapped By A Yellow Card, For The Entire Match. Where Was There Tactical Awareness? It Was Gor Midfield That Collapsed In The Second Half!
To me, it was awake up call for GM to adjust and fill the loop-halls before Caf Group stage kick off. Kerr and the Technical bench should go back to the drawing board and make sure that the same mistake do not occur again,and let them know that the Kogalo fans are not happy .
We should up our game, fitness levels have gone down and kpl teams have formed an habit of coming on us in second half. Onguso has become the avenue where teams score against us
Mathare shifted to a back three in a 3-5-2 formation meaning they had an extra man in midfield.That was coupled with us having a one man defensive mid which was completely outmuscled in the second half.Kahata was superb with a MOTM performance but we know he is not strong off the ball so it was upon Mieno to play the holding role and dictate play while also breaking opponents moves but he was tired & lost.Kerr should have brought in Philemon Otieno for Blackberry and Lawrence Juma for Mieno to stabilize the midfield esp defensively then finally Walusimbi for Onguso to neutralise the right wing attacks by Mathare who realized Onguso was culpable and slow.Still we are unbeaten & grateful but must grind wins even if dirty or use power play for 3 vital points as sometimes it is all that matters in games such as today’s…
Please, Kerr and The Technical bench, try and console the fans by beating AFC leopards on Tuesday by a big goal margin and that would as well motivate the team heading to Rwanda for caf Confederation group stage
Kimanzi took a big gamble by making sure there attacking midfielders on the right and left would remain on the wings while onguso and wafula were drawn inside hoping that Berry and kahata would rarely track them.And that’s exactly what happened.The problem was not onguso/wafula but kahata/Berry were not defending That’s why onguso was overwhelmed.It was so obvious am surprised our coaches didn’t notice. Joash & Shakava are always caught unaware out of position, nobody is controlling the defence .My opinion. I hope the excuse of the pitch won’t arise.Thumps up for slams boys, they truly deserved the point if not the win.2nd half they really played well.Thank God the pitch was awful
That was a very good game for anyone who loved soccer. It was end to end but Mathare got fewer chances and used them while we got so many chances are wasted. Our players look comfortable and avoid pushing themselves above 100%. I also felt that they feared injuries so the strikers were not ready to go for the 50-50 balls. On Subs I think they were fair anough. W needed to put more firepower upfront but unfortunately it didn’t work.
The good thing is that now we know the levels of our game. Meanwhile apart from USM all our opponets have lost in their domestic games. That basically means that all have something to prove to their fans
@Original, you make a valid point here. My only trouble is a game is only good for me when Gor wins. I would rather have a very boring game but one where Gor emerges the winner. Good games ending in draws or defeat don’t bring points. As for the subs, why do you say they were good? Did they improve or hurt our game? That is the only basis for deciding if they were good or bad!!!
@Musymo, at times you play badly and win then you assume that your team is good until you meet the REAL teams. The team I saw yesterday was good apart from the players holding back. On the subs what we needed was to kill the game and the only way to kill a game is to put the opposing team under pressure.
Our central defender needs to be careful with his bareknuckle tackles. During the Thika game and now Mathare we have conceded from the fouls committed by the same person outside our 18-box area.I expect a good game from two wounded teams tomorrow, then we go and beat Rayon at their backyard
@Danico, you don’t kill off a game poised at 2-1 against a re-energised team who just made two tactical offensive changes with less than 10 minutes to go. You jealously protect the lead. You have even seen Guardiola haul of Jesus or Sane or Aguero in such type of matches and bring in Mangala the outcast to provide more bodies at the back!!
@Dan i am of the view that at times its better to get contented with what you have than gamble for more & lose advantage.We were 2-1 up going into the last 10 mins & Mathare as expected were throwing everything upfront in search of an equalizer snc they had nothing to loose.We should have defended our goal & win which was very possible by intoducing Philemon, Walusimbi & Lawrence Juma for tired Mieno,Blackberry & wasteful Kagere.That way,raid as they may we would have held fort & won 3 points.Do you believe if Mathare were leading 2-1 at the 80th minute Kimanzj would have given us any opportunity to come back into the game?It was a good game yes but we must strategise,picture we do the same against Rayons when leading away…Wouldn’t that be Tactless on our TB Part?
The slum boys have always been a hard nut to crack for Kogallo. They are Kogallo’s boggy team. Last season we lost both legs. For that matter, I shall be contented with a point gained.
Amor, piny mor polo bende mor. For God and my beloved club – Kogallo
Plz coach mieno and wendo should not be played together supplement one with Philemon or Lawrence ,BlackBerry should be rested