Gor Mahia held scoreless by Ulinzi
Gor Mahia’s title celebration was postponed when second placed Ulinzi held them to a scoreless draw at Afraha stadium on Sunday.
courtesy of goal.com
The result means that Gor Mahia needs one point in four matches to be crowned champions for a third year in a row. Ulinzi Stars got off the blocks quicker with John Nairuka threatening with a sixth minute effort which sailed just over the bar after six minutes.
On the other side of the pitch, Michael Olunga was always threatening the Ulinzi backline. In the 10th minute, his shot found itself inside the soldier’s box but there was no one to score. The soldiers opted for a cautious approach preferring to try for long balls instead of going at the Gor Mahia backline. Two long efforts by Kevin Amwayi and John Nairuka did not produce anything positive.
A thrown in from Eric Apul targeting Mohammed Hassan got to its target but the latter was ruled to have pushed Gor Mahia goalkeeper Boniface Oluoch and the Kenyan Premier League champions were instead, awarded a free-kick.
It was Gor Mahia, who however, ended the first half on a high with Mohammed Hassan doing everything to stop Meddie Kagere and Ali ‘Tear Gas’ Abondo caught in an off-side position after a great goal bound run.
Gor Mahia started the second half strongly and it took everything for Godfrey Kokoyo to stop a goal bound Michael Olunga. Omar Mbongi earned the first caution of the match after he was judged to have fouled Innocent Wafula.
A minute later, it was the turn of Meddie Kagere to get booked after center referee Nasor Doka ruled that he had brought down Godfrey Kokoyo. Before that there had been a commotion at the Ulinzi Stars goal mouth.
Gor Mahia continued to pressurize for an opener but they had to be content with a corner-kick at the hour mark which Francis Ochieng dealt with well. Then Ulinzi Stars should have got something with John Nairuka shooting from a distance and Evans Amuoka finding himself inside the Gor Mahia box only to easily lose the ball.
Mohammed Hassan was doing everything to keep lethal striker Michael Olunga at bay and did a job of it completely denying their opponents an opener. Ulinzi goalkeeper Francis Ochieng’ was another busy player towards the end of the match and had to come out twice to deny Meddie Kagere and Innocent Wafula even as Khalid Aucho got himself booked for dissent.
With five minutes to the end, Olunga set up Khalid Aucho but the Ugandan blasted wide instead of simply tapping home the effort.
Congrats boys,you played. Against Ulinzi it will always be rough
Congrats team. The unbeaten run continues
KPL doesn’t know how to market itself. Such a good match by two good teams should be played at Kasarani stadium not a bumpy surface.Anyway we will win when bloggers comment in numbers not just the few I read before the match.
Lousy game from ulinzi. This team is surely bogus just as the institution it represents. What makes Matano thnk that rough play was going to stop Gor from winning the league. Ulinzi shud have come out to play football like good competitors. Instructions given to Apul et Hassan was obviously to provoke at all costs. Ulinzi never even attempted to win the match. To them a draw was all the victory they needed. Kenyan coaches give such poor instructions to their teams nowonder harambee stars will never move anywhere. Harambee stars players spend alot of time with such mediocre coaches that it would take a foreign coach a gud length of time to change such poor mindsets. Matano has now earned his pay as far as he is concerned. Unfortunately most Kenyan coaches thnk like him with Gor being the only team in minds. The ulinzi players will go back to their barracks happy ‘vile tumewakanyaga’, but they remind blind on how they belong in such a small pool in the world of football. Watching the Zambian or Zim leagues one quickly notices the competitive nature of the various matches. Nowonder these teams beat Kenya any day.
The ref was obviously timid of the matano insults that he let ulinzi players even use taekwondo kicks.
The nxt time Gor plays this team they shud seriously take the threat of injuries the players face. Players like to play innocent while metting out these tackles but Wafula et Olungas carriers kud have easily ended today to these matano instructions.
What Hassan the ulinzi defender displayed today was thuggish to say the least. Alot of clubs have seen ulinzi achieve its purpose so they will surely b using the same tactics on Gor.
Yes I agree with you Dinga. Matt no also bragged that they played rough because Olunga is a dangerous player and they had to put a check on him. For Matano a draw with Gor Mahia is a win for him. Ulinzi is a team that is going to be no.2. We expect better football from them. If teams can all play like Gor Mahia & Muhoroni youth then Kenyan soccer will improve. Just see how Matano spoilt Tusker.
Congratulations to the Champions elect – this was the next best thing to a victory. the trophy was to be assured so long as Gor did not lose simply given the massive goal differential in case of a points tie which will be the case in the unlikely event we lose all remaining matches and Ulinzi win all theirs – and they can’t score 26 goals in 4 games to make up for the goal difference anyway. Great year Kogalo, my celebrations began much earlier than today but this is semi-official now. Let’s go for an amazing year with an unbeaten record. We are proud of you!!
I was horrified by the karate kicks, elbows and punches the ulinzi defenders delivered on Olunga and Wafula. Ulinzi are supposed to defend us from terrorists – I am sad to say that yesterday – they were the terrorists. I was relieved when the game ended as I was deeply concerned about the safety of our young players. Kenyan referees need to step up on this issue and start dealing decisively with such barbaric acts on the pitch. Otherwise, young talents – like Innocent Mutiso – will be crushed to oblivion.
The sportspesa thing is over hiyo kikombe peleka kisumu for permanent display
the trophy is for Gor, otherwise lets them wind the league in stylée -unbeaten.
Gor fined 660K and AFC 400K by IDCC for the derby fiasco
That does not sound fair
Ooh laa la a…. ………………” MATANO’S COACHING AND TECHNIQUE INSTRUCTION IN BRIEF”
Excerpts of Maton’s pre-match interview , during match instructions and Post match commets .
1. Kokoyo: You are the longest… high it fast and Go Up …”Kokoyo we ni mrefu ruka juu” [ implying you are the tallest, jump high and head the ball]
2. Amwayi: Zig zag Him and wing it …Just wing it once..!!!…”Muzungushe alafu weka cross mara moja” {Implying round up the defender and deliver a diagonal ball]
3. They refused us two clear penalties….. “Wame tu nyima penalty mbili” [ They denied two clear penalty kick fouls]
4. Today Gor mahia full backs did not climb up. Did you saw them… Leo ma beki wa Gor hawaku panda [Today Gor Mahia there was no overlapping for for Gor Wing backs]
5. Rio…Koki…. come out and in of OLUNGA and just send himself… Rio inigia OLUNGA mbele na nyuma alafu jitume
AND THAT WAS THE SECOND BEST TEAM AGAINST THE “CHAMPIONS” ELECT. MATANO MAKES MY DAY.
Surely with this kind of instructions being delivered by the self declared “LION” to a carrer “SOLDIER” like KOKOYO, RIO ETC……… Did anybody expect to enjoy a free flowing football match or some kind of WAR.
Guys ulinzi like the westgate terrorists that they are, remember how they went about killing inocent Kenyans and the great Recce squad leader coz of ATMS and mattresses, remember how they looted even drinking water? And they couldn’t contain alshabab in Garrisa yet their barracks is only a mile away, and RECCE travelled over 500 miles to do what they couldn’t do, talk of terrorists, you saw them in Afraha,they thought Gor pia walikua na ATMS na westgate jewelleries ooh pole sana kenya destruction forces, na huyo coach wenu mwenye alikuwa akichunga ngombe kule pusia akapatina akifanya mambo mengine malishoni badala ya kulisha ndio akatorokea mutowni asifungwe, yeye huelewa mpira ya ugali na pangi.