Gor Mahia sink Wazito 1-0
Gor Mahia kept their 2018 KPL title chase on course when they beat newcomers Wazito 1-0 at Machakos on Wednesday.
Additional Reporting from the Nation
Jacques Tuyisenge came off the bench to score the winner as champions Gor Mahia laboured to beat Wazito 1-0 in a midweek Kenyan Premier League (KPL) match staged at a slippery Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos.
Just nine minutes after coming on for Lawrence Juma, the Rwandan striker sent the handful of fans who bothered to turn up for the match into a frenzy with a 73rd minute header from a Cersidy Okeyo free kick.
The win sees Gor move to 22 points, one shy of leaders Mathare United albeit with two games in hand. Wazito remain 12th on 11 points after nine games.
Gor tactician Dylan Kerr retained only Humphrey Mieno and Meddie Kagere in his starting lineup from the team that beat SuperSport United 1-0 in the Caf Confederation Cup play-off, first leg match on Sunday.
“Congratulations to Gor Mahia, hard luck to my boys, we go back to prepare for the next game,” Wazito coach Frank Ouna said after the match.
“The plan was to lock out Gor’s attacks but you need maximum concentration, any slip up costs you and it did today but we shall rectify the weaknesses.”
Despite claiming his seventh win in eight games, Kerr wasn’t pleased with the display.
“It’s still a crime we can’t utilise our chances. We had the possession, fought hard but missed golden opportunities. The field was slippery because of the rain, yes, but little basics would have seen us put the ball behind the net several times,” he said.
Mieno surprisingly played as a makeshift centre-back while Kagere was handed the captain’s armband in the absence of Harun Shakava.
K’Ogalo created a host scoring opportunities in the first half but the striking partnership of Kagere and Ephrem Guikan let them down.
Wazito’s Patience Lukige had his volley picked by Gor custodian Shaban Odhoji in the 10th minute and six minutes later, Lawrence Juma’s free kick was easily collected by Phillip Odhiambo after Harun Nyakha had fouled Kevin ‘Ade’ Omondi 20 yards out.
Guikan set up Kagere with a beautiful backheel on 26 minutes but the Rwandan striker’s attempt narrowly missed the target.
A minute to the half hour mark, Samuel Onyango outpaced his markers, delivered a pinpoint cross that Bernard Ondiek headed over the bar.
HIT THE BAR
Kagere was denied by the woodwork at the stroke of halftime as the champions pushed for the opener.
Wazito defenders led by Odhiambo Ricky did well to stop Onyango’s attempt to connect a dangerous Lawrence Juma cross a minute to the hour mark as Gor continued with the onslaught.
Wazito coach frank Ouna introduced Ibrahim Mao for Joakim Omollo in the 62nd minute but Kerr reacted two minutes later by throwing into the fray Tuyisenge for Juma as Kevin Omondi paved way for Boniface Omondi.
George Owiti replaced the jaded Joe Waithira with 15 minutes to time as Raphael Asudi had his debut though for five minutes, coming on for Samuel Onyango.
Boniface Omondi’s long range effort ricocheted off the bar on 88 minutes with the goalkeeper well beaten.
Wazito visit Chemelil Sugar on Sunday while Gor await their Caf Confederation Cup return leg match against SuperSport United in Pretoria next week.
I hope our technical bench are watching the supersport Vs pirates game on supersport 4… they could get a few tips on how to handle ss in the return leg
Bring back walusimbi or No Peace Mr Chairman & sidekick Aduda Ceo & Ngala forming the unholy Trinity of jokwoyee at GM.We give you space to operate freely but when you dare sabotage ou lr greatness by axing valuable players over Unpaid dues then its gloves off,tooth and nail until one party cedes defeat…
Is Walusimbi himself willing to play? When you have a dispute with your employer do you abscond work? Won’t you be reprimanded for that? I fault the EC on this but the player also has to understand the situation the team is in currently due to the Sportpesa saga. How I wish to have his experience during the SS game.
These threats are only valid when the club has money. The club currently needs Kshs.2.1 million for the South Africa trip to cover accommodation and air ticket. Where is this money coming from Jasego? Why can’t you pay him the fees Walusimbi is demanding?
We are slowly getting the brand of team one nil either way, Esperance 1-0,Vihiga united 0-1 Supersport united 0-1,Wazito 0-1This is better compared to Zemarias draws last season.Best of luck next week as kogalo hurtles down South to silence SS fans.
Congrats team.
Has Walusimbi resumed training? We the fans of Gor must demand that the EC sort out Walusimbi’s issues so that he resumes his services to the club.
We have successfully done this before, lets put pressure on the committee. They must bring back Walusimbi
@Sylvester, we need to be realistic on these demands. The club currently needs over Kshs.2 million to South Africa and chairman has been reaching all Gor Mahia fans to chip in something for the club to honour the return leg. Sometimes I do not understand Gor Mahia fans mara ultimatum mara demands etc. Who has bewitched Gor Mahia fans?
The team is performing well but still unnecessary demands which we should ask ourselves what value as fans do we add to Gor Mahia.
I do respect Ambrose Rachier for he has individually continued to bail out the club at times of needs and this does not mean that we are worshiping him as some fans have been making nonsensical accusations. Running a club like Gor Mahia is not a walk in the park but it requires resources which above all is money.
For those who don’t know,any local team that play Gor Mahia alas pray for a draw and they play like they never played before. When Gor played tusker,they wanted draw bcos they knew they had no chance to beat Gor Mahia.But teams that wanted to beat Gor Mahia fc like Bandari,nzoia sugar ,kk shark’s, nakumatt fc,all were beaten convincingly bcos they were not park’s the bus. But the best thing is that even if Gor Mahia fc win by a slim margin we collected maximum points. Congratulations to the team
Football wise there is very little entertain value in the KPL. Is it our players, the pitches or a combination of both? These low standards i believe are keeping fans,especially GMians away thereby deny the club the much needed revenue.Sadly, the gate collection raised is missappropriated. Secondly WHO CAN HELP ME UNDERSTAND HOW KIMANZI BEAT KERR TO FEB’S BEST COACH. Kerr’s CAF performance is the best by a KPL coach in a long long while. Congrats players & TB for soldiering on but CAF should be a benchmark.
@ODUOR12 for the period is contention (February) both teams won two game and drew one. So when it came to balloting Kerr lost by 2 votes. It was like a toss of the coin
@DO, I agree but surely the panel should have factored in the CAF assignments, which puts Ker head and shoulders above Kimanzi. On another note regarding yesterday’s game we missed at least 3 clear cut scoring chances due to poor heading technique by, I think, Ondiek. Kagere as usual is industrious but not clinical, his shooting technique is wanting. Gulkan is a player who can light up a game at any time but seems to carrying an “injury” that escaped our medical team. My point is the TB should be more thorough when recruiting. Our play is also missing the quality of Wellington and Karim whose runs down the flanks added an attacking option now dearly missing. This why EC should pay Walusimbi so that he can get back to the pitch.
@Oduor 12 I agree.Guikan has an injury.I watched how he was carrying that left shoulder around.Me thinks the boy should be allowed to heal and recover fully lest he picks another injury that could lay him off for the longest.Apart from that I was impressed with the general attitude of that Second string side.Bravo.
Bring Back Walusimbi NOW or else!
Now or else what??????? This threats you need to take them to your wife bwana. Contribute money and attend our matches frequently than issuing empty threats. Puga.
@Akira, these ultimatums are not necessary at this time when we need the money for the trip. Gor Mahia does not have money…the little we have will be used for the trip.
I think we need someone to do mathematics to confirm the exact figures the club needs on daily basis, weeky and monthly basis to cater for the following known expenses:-
– salaries and wages,
– allowances,
– transport,
– accommodation,
– hiring of grounds both in training and during home matches,
– playing gears (boats, jerseys, pads, socks, tracksuits, training gears etc)
– signing fees,
– medical and insurance,
– administration expenses
– emergencies
– maintenance costs etc for our fans to appreciate what the chairman and his team have been doing to make the club stay a float.
Running football clubs like Gor Mahia is not very easy without sponsorship monies and subsidies.
Am happy for the boys….but allow me to drum it home, no pay= no goals. Gone are the days when we used to enjoy 3-0 and 4-0 scorelines.
No team can allow Gor to score goals easily, they always play defensively to earn at least a draw.Teams like Tusker, Bandari with corporate sponsors also struggle to score goals.So Jakoyo your comment is baseless, imaginary and empty only meant to incite the hardworking Kogalo players.Your prayer has always been for the down fall of Gor.Fortunately the god you worship cannot answer such doomed wishes.