Gor Mahia floor Nakumatt 2-0
Additional Reporting from the Nation
Dylan Kerr’s tenure as Gor Mahia coach got off to a flying start on Sunday as the team beat Nakumatt 2-0 at the Nyayo National Stadium in a SportPesa Premier League match.
Eugene Ambulwa turned the ball in his own net just five minutes after kick off and George “BlackBerry” Odhiambo sealed the victory with a brilliant goal from solo effort at the death.
For the first time this season, reserve goalkeeper Peter Odhiambo was preferred to start between the sticks for Gor, and was deputised by Shabban Odhoji as the more regular Boniface Oluoch is away on compassionate leave.
Boniface Omondi, the highly gifted forward acquired in June from Nzoia United, also started in the right wing as Kerr effected the return to a 4-4-2 strategy from the 3-5-2 approach preferred by his predecessor Marcelo Ferreira.
Nakumatt on the other hand, presented their best stars, with experienced striker Kepha Aswani leading the strike force with help from Boniface Akenga.
K’Ogalo had the upper hand from the get go, and were up by the fifth minute when Eugene Ambulwa, in an effort to drive out a free-kick floated into the area by Godfrey Walusimbi, headed the ball into the net.
The hosts had several more chances afterwards, but Meddie Kagere, Jacques Tuyisenge and BlackBerry Odhiambo all had their shots blocked by Nakumatt custodian Sammy Okinda.
Kepha Aswani blasted horribly wide from long range in the 25th minute, but the debutantes first real chance came in the 32nd minute when Boniface Akenga forced a fingertip save from Odhiambo with a well executed shot.
The story of missed chances continued in the second half, with Omondi turning Kennedy Onyango inside out but failing on his final shot due to inaccuracy.
Meddie Kagere also blasted wide in the 56th minute, when he had only the goalkeeper to beat, much to the chagrin of the K’Ogalo fans.
Nakumatt improved and Gor were in serious danger in the last 15 minutes of the game, as Nakumatt forwards repeatedly made invasions into the box.
With time running out, second half substitute George Odhiambo collected the ball and raced homewards in a counterattack that ended with him planting the ball beautifully into the net.
“That was a good performance, I am happy especially with the second half. We wasted a lot of chances in the first half, but Nakumatt really opened up the game in the second half and we had a better performance,” Gor coach Dylan Kerr said.
Starting XI: Peter Odhiambo (GK), Godfrey Walusimbi, Karim Nzigiyimana, Musa Mohammed, Haron Shakava, Philemon Otieno, Kenneth Muguna, George Odhiambo, Boniface Omondi, Meddie Kagere, Jacques Tuyisenge.
Bench: Odhoji Shaban (GK), Otieno Timothy, Mugiraneza Jean-Baptiste, Kahata Francis, Onyango Joash, Mbugua Anthony, Maloba Oliver.
A big improvement from the last league game I watched but we are not yet the finished article. We are still rusty in front of goal and I wonder when out two marquee strikers are going to score!!! What a great solo run and clinical finish by Berry!!! And hats off to Philemon, one of my favourite Gor Mahia players…He was a tiger in the middle of the pack, tackling hard, robbing Nakumatt of possession and dictating play from deep!!!
nice start from the GM though bado mid haishikanikanishi vizuri
Does kogallo actually have strikers ? Dull game characterized by an own goal and devoid of any sensational moments worth talking about apart from Berry’s goal, contender for goal of the season.
Looking forward to the next midweek game as I expect more of jodala style now that Kerr seems to be favouring the return to old school 4-2-2-2 which in actual play looks like 4-4-2.
I was not able to reach stadium so I opted to listen to radio on my journey home. All I could hear was hatari, hatari hatari gogogogogo| I thought that the scores could be 4+ ……
Congratulation
Congratulations Coach Kerr and players for that vital win. On the display, Jakoyo it was electrifying as we attacked,attacked and attacked nakumatt’s goal and lost clear chances numbering almost 10. Now remember we went ahead to win 2-0 and still wasted many chances, a thing synonymous with our Big Two frontline foreign strike force lately. Coach is still trying to develop attack-oriented philosophy only that at times we rush it and end up fluffing our lines, more composure in opponent’s final third will be required. Finally Maloba should get more playtime, that boy is a gem and should be used frequently to horn his immense talent…P/S Peter Odhiambo Jagoal is just superb from his debut in Tz and whenever he dons the Green and White he never disappoints, kept us right in the game today, asante kijana endelea kukazana…
It’s good that Ulinzi, P.Rangers & Brewkenge all faltered. Gives GMFC especially coach Ker more breathing space. Is it a mere coincidence that the next round of KPL matches sees all of the last round/weekend matches being “replayed”. GMFC plays their return match against Nakumatt before completing the 1st leg fixtures (match versus Muhoroni). Very peculiar only possible in KPL!
Oduor, it happened about four or five seasons back. That the team you play last in the first leg is the one you play first in the second leg then play the second leg backwards finishing against the team you played first in the first leg as your final game. I have not checked the full second leg fixtures but if our game after Wednesday is against Muho Youth then seems they have revived that sysyem. It was not a problem last time since there was the mid season break and you had a whole month before you met the same team again!!! But with the disrupted calendar this season, meeting the same team twice in four days takes the adrenaline out of it!!!
Aaah you’re right, thx Musymo for the explanation. Makes sense, the mid season break seems to be the issue this time round. Let me add that i’ve noticed that our football leadership seem to have this false belief that H.Stars aka KPL All Stars can perform well when our clubs are a no show at the CAF club level. A very tall order if you ask me, we all know you start to crawl, walk then run.
Thanks team for the win. I agree with the sentiments her about our striking (not the strikers). It’s a pity that we don’t have anybody who can shoot from a distance in Gor. We prefer to dribble and pass the ball in the opponents 18 yard. Didn’t Everton score us from shots outside the 18. Never seen our two main strikers shoot from outside the box. they prefer to run into the box and then mostly try square passes which cost us yesterday a couple of goals. And on Karim’s crosses I think at times we do the same thing everytime without results. With Olunga and the younger Kagere it worked all the time but yesterday it worked only once, the own goal.
Anyway a win is a win though I found out that Nakumatt were not scared of Gor as other teams usually are
I keep on saying these that, K’Ogalo is not for the local wannabe, GM is too big for these guys , am sorry to say this but the truth is there for all sundry to see. We have to stop pretending and acknowledge the fact that GM’s DNA is Odiero Apala wuod lando. Pick even a shoe shiner from the street in England and give him the job, the impact will be positive instantly. @ jakoyo some of us cant buy these rotten old order of ideas of yours.
@Bob, I am in total agreement with you on locals and rotten narratives of jodala.
Aaa Jakoyo ikiko itwa bwana, give Ker space to sort matters out his own way. I believe in the two big strikers Kagere and Jausenge, can’t just understand why they are not scoring as they should. Blackberry’s goal….that was a deadly counter attack, executed with experience, while Nakumatt were looking for a goal themselves, what a bitter pill on the death…they must know people.
@ jathurgi, my die hard no nonsense role as fan will always pit me against those coaches and their foot soldiers who impose superiority or sometimes inferiority complex at this great club …..am honestly beginning to like this Kerr coach with his tactical old school jodala remarks… open quote ‘ we train like any EPL club and with African ability, stamina and endurance you can run all day. Now we have to work on the final third. ” end quote.
Bwana ni en jadala damu. we have to believe.
Blackberry still performing after 8 years !
Yes @Riaga. He has rediscovered his old self. He has been in good form this season. His goal yesterday reminded of a goal he scored against Ulinzi a few years back