Gor Mahia hold Nkana FC
Gor Mahia held Zambia’s most popular club Nkana FC, formerly known as Nkana Red Devils in a friendly match at Camp Toyoyo on Saturday.
Additional reporting from the Nation
In an encounter K’Ogalo coach Dylan Kerr explained was aimed at fine tuning his charges ahead of their next continental assignment, the hosts grabbed the lead against the visiting top Zambian club at the half hour mark through the returning Jacques Tuyisenge.
The 12-time Zambian champions were initially penalised after Diego Apanane handled the ball in his box and Tuyisenge stepped up to drill the resultant penalty kick past a clueless Kelvin Malunga for the opening goal of the match.
This setback seemed to rattle a potent Nkana attack consisting Congolese sensation Idriss Ilunga Mbombo, who is a former strike partner to Kenya international Jesse Were at Zesco United, 2016 FAZ league topscorer Walter Bwalya, Zambia International Ronald ‘Sate Sate’ Kampamba and Festus Mbewe.
And their reaction was impressive.
First, Mbombo easily went past his marker on the left hand side of the pitch and sent in a low cross that Bwalya connected with a goal bound shot on 55 minutes.
Gor keeper Shaban Odhoji was however equal to the task.
Odhoji could do little to stop Mbewe’s shot that found the inside roof of the next five minutes later, after the Zambian striker benefitted from Bwalya’s 20-yard pass.
“They have some confident players with good touches. They got tired in the second half and we capitalised,” said Nkana coach Beston Chameshi.
“It was a good workout for the players who didn’t play in the Champions League and I am impressed with their reaction,” added Kerr.
The Kenyan champions are in line to play Tunisia’s Esperance in a Caf Africa Champions League first round match on March 7, while Nkana will square it out with Algeria’s CR Belouizdad in the first round of the Confederation Cup.
According to football agent George Bwana who is coordinating Nkana’s five day Kenyan pre-season camp, Nkana are primed to play either Nakumatt or Tusker in their final friendly on Monday.
Yes these are the type of friendlies needed for Gor.
That abrupt longball otada Philosophy of Kerr might work for sometime but wont conquer Africa.He benches guikan then complains of many lost chances which should have been buried esp by Kagere.Come next game formation remains the same and the same story repeats,mara pitch mara ooh…I supported and still and always will support coach Kerr but modern football dictates we keep the ball more,build play from the back and score from clearly created combination football
I thought the line-up had Frederick Odhiambo in goal. When did Odhoji became the goalkeeper. Is it second half.
Odhonji played the second half
The team that played is the one that played Zoo,additions were jagoal Pete (1st 1/2), lukeworm dude (had a good game) partnering Jack.2be fair to the coach he couldn’t play his 1sr 11 na kesho kuna game.I wish the management could arrange friendlies Every wknd or Monday morning for this 2 nd team instead of them training through out the year with very minimal play time.That’s the only way we can build the likes of chalo,Joachim, onguso,carrick who still lack confidence in kogalo jerseys otherwise we will waste this talents like calabars bro, softie etc
My worry is player fatigue. Against sharks Kerr should field the team that beat zoo and reserve the first eleven for midweek Tusker game.One of our greatest pride is beating Brewkenge and Efusi, this makes the Tusker game as important as Esperance.
Gor is a joy to watch;Samuel Onyango will rattle nets this season
Midfielders are looking tired. No good passes to the strikers. Poor goalkeeping.
For Mahia 2
Kariobangi Sharks 1
Scorers Samuel Onyango and Ephraim Guikan
*Gor Mahia