Muguna, Oluoch and Musa in action as Kenya lose to Thailand
Midfielder Kenneth Muguna, goalkeeper Boniface Oluoch and defender Musa Mohamed were the Kogalo players in action as Kenya put on what can at best be considered a sub par performance against Thailand. Context first: Thailand are at number 137 in the FIFA rankings, 49 places below Kenya. The entire Thai national team plays in the Thai league which cannot be considered to have a standard above the KPL. Kenya was thus expected to win .
In the end it was Thailand who looked the better side. Though Kenya had more possession, they failed to create decent chances. Kenya are still unable to string together meaningful passes in the final third. As a result they try to score by playing hopeful crosses into the box or long passes.
Muguna’s impact on the game was not significant at all. He did not play badly but neither did he impose himself on the game nor create any chances. None of this is his fault. The team lacked sufficient cohesion. Musa Mohamed was played at right back. He was solid and staved off the attacks that came on his wing.
Boniface Oluoch was solid between the sticks and actually had to dive full length to pull off a number of saves. The goal he conceded was not his fault though he seemed to parry the ball right into the path of an oncoming attacker.
Other former Kogalo players were in action as well. Michael Olunga came closest to scoring when in the first half he picked up a loose ball and unleashed one of his trademark rising shots which forced a spectacular save from the Thai keeper. In the 54th minute Kenya were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the box after Masoud Juma was fouled. Olunga took the resulting free-kick which was quite an embarrasment. His form was poor. He got underneath the ball and sent it several meters above the cross bar. He has clearly not been practising free-kicks during his time in Sweden, China and Spain.
David Owino Calabar was solid in central defence. But was unable to start moves by linking up with his midfielders as is required of modern central defenders. The systems he is forced to play in and the quality of players around him are to blame.
Left with no option, he resorts to bypassing the midfield by sending long balls to the forwards. And unlike Austin Oduor of yesteryear, his long balls are mostly fanciful. They rarely find their target. Anthony Akumu, the other former Kogalo player in the side was also solid if unspectacular.
The Thai side are clearly better at stringing together passes in the final third. In fact the goal they scored came after their winger created an opening for himself on the right flank, sliced the ball to the central attacker whose shot was parried by Oluoch only for another attacker to pounce on the loose ball and score.
After they scored, the Thais fell back and allowed Kenya long spells of ball possession. However Kenya were once again let down by their poor coordination in the final third. As a result they created no meaningful chances. The only attempts at goal were a long range effort from Anthony Akumu which went well wide and Olunga’s shocking free-kick.
Coach Okumbi introduced substitutions, bringing in Waruru, Samwel Onyango and Jesse Were for Masoud Juma, Miheso and Makwatta. But it was to no avail
Starting XI
Boniface Oluoch, David Owino (C), Jockins Atudo, Abud Omar, Musa Mohammed, Anthony Akumu, Kenneth Muguna, Cliffton Miheso, John Mark Makwatta, Masud Juma, Michael Olunga
Substitutes
Patrick Matasi, Simon Mbugua, Ernest Wendo, Samuel Onyango, Jesse Were, Harun Shakava, Robinson Kamura, Patillah Omotto, Boniface Muchiri, Dennis Sikhayi, Stephen Waruru
My take FKF should focus more on the national league by chipping in and improving the prize money by another kes.3-5M, financially supporting kenyan club’s in the CAF. A better league and performance in CAF by club will rub off on H.Stars. You must crawl, walk before you can run properly.
Sad but true that the Pride and honour of being called to the National team has been diluted to an extent where it now feels more of a distraction and a disruption .
As we look fwd to the cecafa challenge cup , these footballs chiefs should stop taking as to be fools so that when there was money to build stadiums from the central government , the tournament ( Chan) was taken to Meru and Eldoret but now that there is no money from the central goverment , the Mwendwas are on a begging spree to hitherto politically incorrect towns like Kakamega , Kisumu to pick the tab and host the tournament .
For now I prefer to focus all my energy in what we truly own and that is Gor Mahia .
So sad that HS is that mediocre. To me it all oils down to the character f the Head Coach. I saw Bobby Ogolla, Zico, Loga, Bob from UG, Nutal, Ze Mria and now Kerr. You can easily see that Loga, Nutal nd now Kerr have got the characters of winners and this rubs on the players. I am sorry to say that Okumbi is not inspiring enough, especially where you have players like Wanyama, Olunga etc.
Back to Gor now that we need only 3 points (4 assuming the goal aggregate can be surpassed) it’s now time to haveMaloba, Ndirangu, Mbugua, Omondi, Wafula et al to have more game time. For Kagere , BB and JaUsenge unfortunately they must play as they are in contention for the top scorer accolades.
Can wait for us to pick the title this weekend since we will win and the nearest challengers will falter
I concur with both teddy and dan that mediocrity in HS is abdurd.Stadium must be built to international standards as we were to bid for Fifa Under 17 or what is our usual hogwash.To the issue of players,Kerr utilise all maqbul,softie,wafula,maloba,joash,simiyu,mbugua,philemon,boniface omondi,migi,wellington and striker Jeconia Uyoga consistently and in a starting role for am confident they are equal to the task
@Jasego , I wish to add that the sorry state that we witness in the national team has a direct correlation with the low standards that has become of out Premier League and to add insult to injury , the trajectory we are taking is going to land as in the England situation where the best in our leagues are from without the country when we dont have enough of our own in quality leagues in Europe e.g like France , Nigeria , Cote d Ivoire , Brazil etc .
What we must do is go the German way a way we embarked on some then abandoned .
For now there has to be a deliberate effort to rope in the counties with both the clubs and the Fkf as a form of a youth enterprise , to identify , motivate , sustain and supply through formation of formations like Vihiga utd .
Corporate clubs will never take as anywhere and in serious worlds , corporates stick to what they r good at and sponsor others and thats y we dont get to hear of Samsung Fc , Emirates Fc , AON Fc , Yokohama fc etc etc .
Unfortunately the apex in kenya football is not on the same page with what the future demands and thats y we must jealously guard our Gor Mahia as we await the others long term plans if at all .
True corporates have tried taking our Kogalo and turning it into an elite corporate entity but we shall never agree.MAYIENGA is an automatic birthright for all Jokanam that we will Never Cede to anyone other than temporary sponsors who Must not hold any shares but profit from good publicity and marketing…
Something,….anything needs to be done to that uniform!!!! And why does Masoud Juma always play ahead of more established local attackers like Waruru?
Owadwa Masoud is Mwenda and Okumbi’s star project since together they groomed him at kariobangi sharks following some schewed belief that he is Kenya’s next big revelation.TRANSFER fees for that anticipated move is what makes him be fielded ahead of established players.He is striker wa Ofisi
Gor players on go-slow again. Winning bonuses not paid
As you can all see the analogue record player continues churning out the golden oldies!
PLAYERS & TB WIN BUT WINNING BONUSES ARE NOT PAID SO PLAYERS STRIKE.
EC under the able leadership of one Mugabe cannot afford a winning streak of 2 consecutive matches. Coaches like Nutal and Ker interfere with the bloated EC’s budgeted allocation now being disguised as “Building a Satdium”.
Its not that for the last +10 years GMFC could not have qualified for the CAF group stages its only that such require seroius preparations that would eat into bloated EC annual alloactions.
@ dan original, i have been assured the allowances will be paid by Friday noon.
Lets be calm, the club is in dire financial problems and personally me thinks we should invoke sportpesa to terminate the contract as early as tomorrow so that we can plan for 2018 otherwise iko shida kubwa 2018….
Maybe Betway could offer better terms. And by the way I see Sportpesa really active in promoting itself in the streets
Stadia in Meru, Marsabit and Eldoret?
Oh my! Who will fill them? Which teams will have them as home ground? Which fans will travel to such places to cheer their teams?
Eti Gor playing some useless team in Marsabit stadium, can you imagine that!
Let them build those stadia in such places, they will use them as camel markets.
Let Gor beat Mathare and win the league.