Gor Mahia held by Thika United 0-0
Gor Mahia and Thika United shared the spoils at Thika municipal stadium on Sunday.
Additional reporting from the Nation
League leaders Gor Mahia were on Sunday held to a 0-0 draw by hosts Thika United in a SportPesa Premier League match at the Thika Sub-county Stadium.
The result moved K’Ogalo to 52 points, nine ahead of second placed Sofapaka who drew 0-0 with Kariobangi Sharks on Saturday.
“I am disappointed for the fans. I want to see more from Karin Nizigiyimana, I want to see more from Walusimbi and Meddie Kagere. They are international players.
“I am not thinking about the title. Right now it’s about winning games and getting to know the formation that works best for the team,” said Gor coach Dylan Kerr.
Kerr performed constructive surgery on the squad once more, preferring to reinstate award winning goalkeeper Boniface Oluoch in goal as well as right back Karim Nizigiyimana, while Ernest Wendo, who missed the last match against Chemelil Sugar due to illness, returned into the starting line-up.
Jean Baptiste Mugiraneza and Wellington Ochieng both started as reserves but effective goalkeeper Peter Odhiambo was sidelined from the match completely.
Thika United on the other hand, adopted a cautious approach to the game, starting with six defensive players as a measure to protect themselves from the massive threat posed by their visitors.
Nicholas Muyoti started with Ugandan Allan Owiny between the sticks, with Christopher Oruchum, Benson Iregi, Suleiman Ngotho and three others providing cover for him at the back.
The hosts were struggling to evade relegation and came into this match determined to clinch at least a point to avoid sinking to the very bottom of the league table.
They started quite well, and although their chances in the first half were few and spread apart, Shami Kibwana managed to find the back of the net in the 30th minute. The goal was however disallowed for offside.
K’Ogalo however enjoyed a better afternoon with more chances, although strikers George “BlackBerry” Odhiambo and Timothy Otieno were not at their best during the first half.
Otieno missed a glorious chance in the 12th minute when his take off after receiving the ball was too slow and he was subsequently outran and dispossessed of the ball by his marker.
Ugandan-born Rwandese player Meddie Kagere also missed a good chance three minutes later when he misdirected his shot outside for a goal kick.
At the stroke of half time, Kagere suffered the same fate as Kibwana, when he headed the ball inside the net at close range, only to be deterred by referee Lucas Odhiambo who judged him to have score from an offside position.
Second half substitute Francis Kahata left his team’s supporters holding their heads in disappointment in the 87th minute when he released a grass cutter that missed the target by an inch.
Thika finished the match with just one shot on target, but they will treasure the result as it means that they have managed to squeeze out two points from the 15-time champions this season.
Good news to the ears of diehard critics like me. I will always criticize failure.
The squad that played the previous two matches should have had little or no change.
Our first 11 have this level of confidence that limits their ambition to impress beyond normal.
Complacency is always a hindrance when you play our starting 11 against the bottom table teams.
Thika has temporarily leaped over the relegation ditch courtesy of our inability to beat them today.
That pains me very much because I really want Thika to join the underworld.
Any assessment of the match from those who attended?
Let me hope:
1. that this is not the result of the disharmony in the EC and consequently
2. the beginning of a downturn.
A draw against Thicker is very painful, boys, but stay focused and eke out results in the remaining matches so as to keep daylight between us and the chasing park. Not all is lost though because Eugene Mkangula was not allowed an opportunity to humiliate us and we maintained a clean sheet.
Just 9 points ! Just 9 points ! Just 9 more points to GO ..
.
Not 9 points. Assuming Ulinzi wins all its 11 games remaining. That will give them a sum of 70 points. So we need 71 points for an outright victory. That is 20 points to go. We can get them through the following options:
1. 7 wins, 3 losses
2. 6wins, 2 draws, 2 losses
3. 5wins, 5 draws, no loss.
We have matches against;
1. Sofapaka
2. Tusker
3. Ulinzi
4. Bandari
5. Mathare
6. Sony Sugar
7. Kakamega Homeboyz
8. Western Stima
9. Zoo Kericho
10. Kariobangi Sharks
Let us struggle to win 5 and draw 5. We will win the league without considering results from other matches.
Or winning 7 and losing 3 will be more practical since we have to get beaten by Mathare and Western Stima.
@ jambita, we beat title contenders sofapaka, tusker and ulinzi that is 9 points, is it ? ….So the league can as well be won in the next two weeks .!
The players have not been paid winning bonuses for the last 4 games won so it would have accumulated to 5 against maiti thicker, they did not train for 2 days last week. Ngala (of +20 years experience with Mugabe) goes on national radio to lie that all is well until contradicted by a player. What is the EC spending the Kes.65M Sportpesa sponsorship on? IF EC DOES NOT VALUE THE TEAM WINNING CAN WE REALLY GRUMBLE ABOUT THIS DRAW? Let’s not hear excuses come CAF time.
Yes. A win against Sofapaka, Tusker and Ulinzi will boost us but with our first 11, I doubt whether we will beat them. We have a good 11 but they are so contented and never exert the extra pressure.
We soldier on regardless,congrats Coach,TB and entire playing unit for keeping the unbeaten run going. Teams like Thika are there to frustrate K’ogalo with draws which can be the only highlight to their pathetic mediocre season. May they be relegated to the second tier…
Congrats team. The hardest teams to beat are those which do not come to beat us but not to get beaten. Ingwe was one of them, Posta does the same thing. For us to comfortably win the league we need to beat Tusker Ulinzi or Sofa or at least not to loose to them.
As it is we will win the league by when is the big question but first of all we need to clear this issue of player’s , TB payments.
If only the EC could mobilze the fans and let them know we have a financial problem we can easily chip in so long as we are the ones managing the funds. We have done it before and there is no reason why we cannot do it again
Hey @ D.O what a wonderful suggestion. On that am with you all the way, bega kwa bega. Gor Mahia has a lot of goodwill but nobody is willing to throw their money into a pit latrine. Let EC engage fans/members e.g how much is the winning bonuses, who qualifies, the 18 match day players or all players, and yes why can’t it be met from the kes.65M SP sponsorship, league grants (SS pulled but Bamba TV stepped in) contribution the GM Sacco, the GM bread, water & GMLotto and all other ventures exploiting the K’Ogalo brand. What is the monthly deficit, if any ? Over to you AR, Nyangi and the other 9 either give us the break-down or PAY OUR PLAYERS!
Very well said Dan. We can chip in and help Kogalo so long as mafisi are kept at bay!
Where is Anelka to get the ball rolling?
In victory and glory, in defeat and agony Kogalo for Ever!!
@dan, for how long are we going to chip in…….this vicious cycle of poverty must STOP once and for all. i keep asking myself, if we know sportpesa will not be here next year…
1. why are we even bothering to win the league only not to honour the CAF league matches ?,
2. what are we doing as EC between now and next year ?
3. what is our fallback plan next year ?
4. why cant we start planning for next year now that the league is as good as in the bag ?
5. why cant we ask sportpesa to release us from their obligations now, pay upfront and we start engaging with the likes of betway and others who are potentially still interested ?
6. why can the EC come out with one voice and tell us the issues as they are, aren’t all fans and members of the club , not stakeholders?
7. why is our patron forever in politics and never bothered about the welfare of the club?
8. why do we have 3 vice chairmen, arent they supposed to be mobilising funds and building bridges with future partners ?
And ok hope nobody drinks the Tuzo brand anymore, Yuko pamoja?
MA coach wengi Sana Japanese kogalo, just a bad day in office and that’s all, his iPhone no sissy Kali yawatu WA sofa set branch, big up #GMFC
*typing error, big up Mighty kogalo, one at a time
nani mbado anakunywa TUZO, jothorwwa? Tume hama huko sio?