Solid performance for Joash against Ghana
Gor Mahia central defender Joash Onyango was one of the best players on the pitch on Saturday as Kenya lost 0-1 to Ghana in the last qualifier for the 2019 Africa Nations cup. Joash has seen very little playing time at Kogalo especially after he went down with an injury. On Saturday he proved that he has recovered. Coach Migne selected him ahead of the experienced duo of David Owino “Calabar” and Brian Onyango Mandela.
Other Gor Mahia players who featured were Philemon Otieno and Francis Kahata. Kahata had a quiet game. Mbish had a torrid time keeping up with the Ghana winger and will have learned a few lessons today. Former Gor Mahia players Eric Ouma “Marcelo” and Musa Mohamed also played.
Additional reporting from the Nation
Black of Stars of Ghana needed an 83rd minute strike from debutante Caleb Ekuban to edge gallant Harambee Stars 1-0 and finish top of Group “F” in 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers at Accra Sports club on Saturday.
The Turkey-based Ekuban, who replaced Alhassan Wakaso on 59 minutes, struck home a low drive past Kenyan custodian Patrick Matasi after being played through by Thomas Partey.
Matasi will however live to forget the manner in which he conceded the goal. Ekuban’s shot slipped through his arms before finding the back of the net, after the Kenyans seemed headed for a historic draw which would have ensured they remain top of the standings.
Ghana finish top of the group on nine points, two ahead of Sebastien Migne’s Kenya. The goal heart broke the Kenyans who had put up a plausible performance away from home.
Mubarak Wakaso floated in a cross from the left but Patrick Matasi gathered with two minutes into the game as the hosts went all out from the onset.
Two minutes later, Eric Johanna’s shot from outside the box was parried by Ghana goalkeeper Richard Ofori with Francis Kahata unable to pounce on the rebound on time.
Atletico Madrid midfielder Partey shot over the bar from a free-kick from 25 yards after Joash Onyango had brought down Jordan Ayew in the seventh minute.
The Black Stars thought to have taken the lead on 33 minutes through Andre Ayew but Botswana referee Joshua Bondo ruled it out for a foul on Matasi.
Kwadwo Asamoah swung in a free kick from the left flank but Nicholas Opoku’s header veered off the target as the Kenyans survived another scare in the first half.
A minute after the restart, Matasi found Masoud Juma with a long range pass that the Libya-based forward charged down to force Ghana shot-stopper Richard Ofori into a fingertip save with a rasping pile driver.
Pistone Mutamba, who came on for Masoud on 59 minutes, won possession with his first touch at the hour mark to put Eric Johanna through on goal but the Sweden-based midfielder wasn’t quick enough before Ofori gathered the ball with ease.
Bondo then booked Erick “Marcelo” Ouma for a cynical foul on Kwadwo Asamoah on 56 minutes and 10 minutes later, Matasi followed suit for time wasting.
Christian Atsu managed to break the Kenya defence on 73 minutes but his low effort went inches wide.
Line-ups
Harambee Stars lineup: Patrick Matasi (GK), Philemon Otieno (Paul Were 86’), Musa Mohammed, Joash Onyango, Eric Ouma, Victor Wanyama (C), Dennis Odhiambo, Eric Johanna (Bernard Ochieng 76’), Francis Kahata, Johanna Omollo, Masud Juma (Piston Mutamba 59’)
Unused Substitutes: John Oyemba (GK), Faruk Shikalo (GK), David Owino, Brian Mandela, Anthony Akumu, Ismail Gonzalez, Allan Wanga
Black Stars lineup: Richard Ofori (GK), Daniel Opare, Nicholas Opoku, John Boye, Lumor Agbenyenu – Mubarak Wakaso (Caleb Ekuban 60’), Thomas Partey, Christian Atsu, Kwadwo Asamoah – Andre Ayew (Joseph Aidoo 86’), Jordan Ayew (Emmanuel Boateng’ 76’)
Looking at the Stars game today, there is some improvement in Kenyan soccer. My disappointment today is on Wanyama and Joahna Omollo. Philemon Otieno is fast fading from my list of favourites.
Kudos to Joash Onyango. Even though sometimes misplaced he has the correct mental attitude and today display was attractive. Kahata is becoming pedestrian in his game, it was hard to find what exactly he wanted to do but I must add that J.Omollo let him down in several occassions.
Meanwhile I expect Gor to do some catching up on the league. With the experience gathered in CafCC KPL will surely be mincemeat. Gor is in a gud position. Congrats for managing the CafCC and KPL well, but this does not necessarily mean that Gor is playing good football.
The average Kenyan player can be good but their biggest let down is the mental strength.
Players who have shown gud strength of the mind are Kagere, Tuyisenge, Oliech et Olunga. These are the kind of players I would go for. Musa Mohammed is right up there, I wish he could come back to Gor.
Migne selection was not the best, he seems to be under too much influence from Nick Mwendwa. Todays match needed the likes of D.Owino et Akumu.
Finally, Gor shud go for D.Odhiambo.
You don’t know what your saying about Philemon.
That guy played very well.Do you the wing he was playing had very fast players…….(Atsu)
Philemon is very good
Gor management should for once sign a player with an ongoing contract like Dennis Odhiambo instead of going for cheap end of contract players
Anybody who has taken a keen interest in Harambee stars coach will by now appreciate that he is a good coach , a coach who knows what he is doing , where he is and where he wants to go both in the short and long run , in short he has a plan , and you know this , not from what he says but rather what you see in the pitch unlike some other coach who is louder and more boistrous than a Village Nigerian .
With Sebastian Migne , you see the patterns , formations , movements on and off the ball , game control and management + you are entertained -You see , even with your non technical eyes , the fingerprints of the coach on the pitch .
If Sebastian Migne is given the free hand to manage this team , then the sky is the limit , but I have not failed to notice subtle attempts by Nick Mwendwa to Kariobangi-nise the team and this must be resisted .
Finally , the faith this coach has showed in players like Dennis Odhiambo , Joash Onyango , Matasi , Philemon that hitherto would have been cast aside in favour of Oktay level ” european players ” is not only laudable but very very bold and the results are visible for all to see and he should be a template to other foriegn coaches on what Professionalism entails , not the populistic nonsense we used to see of Kerr taking selfies of himself eating in a kiosk with a Gor badge tattoo on his leg and I repeat “There must be a distinction between a Gor manager and a broke kirinyaga road tourist” -But all in all , all those who criticise and praise share one thing in common ,We all want the best for Gor Mahia but here again the likes of Jakoyo and “Dr” Eric Adede are excluded .
@Teddy Sofaset Entebbe, I think you are going now too far with your Sofaset armchair comments.
Keep off you consistent attack on our coach period.
We are getting fatigued with your nonsensical postings and attacks on our coach. If you have nothing positive to post, kindly stay in Entebbe in peace with Kaguta Museveni.
Now you are talking well of Migne Harambee Stars coach but last time I can recall that we were commenting on his poor selection by leaving out some better players. Now Migne has become your hero at Sofaset Entebbe.
@Jamigori, I think if you momentarily got off your sychophantic and hero worshipping rigid mode ,you may have noted that i have consistently intimated that it is still too soon for me to have a finality of opinion on Oktay , going further to emphasise that I appreciate the fact that under him , we have qualified another step but that am yet to
see any futuristic philosophy I can call home about .
When I give an opinion , I own it , this blog is not a popularity competition site or a site where I go ye in pursuit of @Jamigori’s approval .
Having said that, I repeat for good measure that a manager must present himself in a respectable manner and not like a Broke Kirinyaga rd/Ngara tourist -Next time you post your nonsense , own your opinion and desist from using the word “WE” in your post , nobody has sent you here to blog on their behalf .
My opinion just like yours and respectfully so , is just that , an opinion and for your info I occasionally get off my sofaset to attend all high stakes Gor games , be they in Kigali or Nairobi , I attended the Athletico game and I will attend all the home Cafcc games Gor will have .
So if you are flexible enough and not a dyed in the wool status quo adherent , you may have noted that I love Gor just as the ones with whose opinions’ I differ , You included .
NB: I respect you a guy and I have only responded to your personalised attack in a respectful tone because am in a Good Mood , it also being a day of prayer .
My main concern with our team has been and is still on the goal keeping department, why don’t we release SHABAN and sign a good keeper for a good team competition, all said done without a good goalkeeper we will not go far, our coach should concentrate more on showing his worth and ability as a coach on the pitch rather than always being on the press
Hehe@Fred odhiambo,are you the author of this article?after yesterday’s game you posted that joash had a solid game and that is the headline here.
In the beginning when most people here used to bash joash left right and centre,I said every team needs that kind of player,a rugged,old school,no nonsense player and somehow I got vindicated by all those coaches who always include him in their starting eleven.
He is a Paul oduwo “cobra” kind of player who is willing to take one (read red card) for the team.I would prefer a central defensive partnership of joash and momanyi…but that is just my opinion,oktay knows better.
@dinga,you say that the Ghana vs Kenya game needed David owino and Anthony akumu,I wish to ask,who would you rather they played instead of?
Victor Wanyama et Eric Ouma.
Even though Ouma basically a good player on anyday he did not impress much on this day… Ok, at least on my telly he was not impressing. He seemed to be struggling and at one time got a yellow for holding. Owino is engaged in a far more competitive league (including CAFCL) than wherever E.Ouma is plying his trade. Sad part is that I don’t even know where he plays. He is good but in his last two matches his prowess seems to have taken a dip.
On the other hand Wanyama’s role is ever confusing whenever he plays for Kenya. His approach while playing for Kenya is driven by stardom. An expense Kenya did not need in Ghana. Is he DM or AM? In Totenham his role is very clear. On this day when Kenya needed a more defensive approach, a much fitter Akumu was a better choice.
Wanyama basically become tired as the match progressed and was engaged in some aimless passing. He and Joana seemed to be in competition as to who would be the most unproductive.
Wanyama should be dropped as Captain. Playing in England and giving aimless passes just does not make sense. Set such an example and the whole team crumbles. Little wonder they could not hold after an initial impressive show.
True, Joash had a solid performance but in the mid Johana Omollo alikuwa down sana
Indeed @Dinga &@Moses , I wholeheartedly agree with your opinion on Dennis Odhiambo , infact with the exception of Baba Kizito and Khalid Aucho , Dennis Odhiambo is the best player in that position in the recent past and who I rate even higher than Gattuso .
Indeed I have always wondered how a player of that calibre would have been languishing at Thika utd with Gor just being next door .
If we need the best locally/regionally to give us intelligent link up transitional play , then definitely the go to guy is Dennis Odhiambo plus we can afford him whilst at the same preserving our foriegner quota slot for when it is absolutely necessary .
Negative energy is irreversible.even when we are busy in the big money league,still others have the guts to look for anything negative available.The fact that oktay has broken a record,puts so many “fans” in the redundancy.but still some are clutching on straws.gentlemen for heavenly sake,drown peacefully.This is our time.wait for your turn.when loose matches,loose the league and not qualify for group stages,coz this now the bar set by Oktay,it will be your turn to apply the negative.why are guys forcing an opportunity that does not exist?We need peace as we wait next assignment in our league and that is Berkane.Your negative energy will be of help to AFC leopards.They disperately need you guys.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
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IF two people agree on everything , then one of them is unnecessary -Sir Winston Churchill .
E.g if we all ,for the sake of “Positive Energy” laud Ernest Wendo for the exemplary performance he exibited against Athletico or unanimously laud the Coach for ensuring that he misses being on the CafCc touchline for as long as we still dont know , again for the sake of positive energy -One of us is definitely unnecessary , could be me .
Another nice end to the week , with Tanzania joinig Uganda , Kenya and Burundi to the cup of nations , Thanks so much to Uganda for the good neighbourliness they showed by “Losing” 3-0 to Tanzania .
And with Gor Mahia joining Simba in another continental grand march , the stars have never been this brighter .
Congratulations to all that have made this happen , me Included -as a fan .
Congratulations to whoever in the EC is managing the Club’s social media accounts , latest being the launch of the Club’s You tube channel , an active twitter handle account with over 130 thousand followers and a similar active facebook account .
I support the presense of this accounts because they leverage the club , if well used , massive commercial advertising opportunities , massive mobilization opportunities to attend matches ,Massive control of their own messaging and narrative but more importantly its the media of the future .
Used appropriately , it has even the capacity to control who officially talks on behalf of the club and resulting in a situation whereby if the other print or electronic media wants to know the official position , they can get the content from our channel rather than have all and sundry running their mouths in media that overtime have showed that they are not interested in the wellbeing of the club but to promote negative narratives and stereotypes .
Used well , the You tube channel will be a very welcome idea .
If the followers of Gor mahia YouTube are 130000 why don’t the management find out how to make them members of Gor mahia so that if they will agree to donate 1000each will translate to
130,000,000.and Gor mahia will have enough funds to run the club. They can even reduce it to Shs 100/month which is 1$/month and Gor mahia will grow very fast. Gor mahia will be able to construct it’s stadium and training ground in five years time. Am in, I can afford 100/= /month, let the management communicate with YouTube followers on the way forward. We must be in a position to sign contract with the highest bidder and not to dictated on sponsors condition. Just YouTube followers are enough to make a big difference in this big club. Am ready.
Read somewhere from Rachier and Bolo that Gor have finalised measures to introduce e-ticketing and that is a wonderful idea and when I visited this wall , I expected somebody could already have posted a link to it like they normally efficiently and promptly do when salaries and bonuses have delayed or when their is a go slow .
Lets try to balance our efficiencies and give even the one we normally equate with a good for nothing office their dues when they perform like they have on this .
You (EC) are not perfect and you are not the worst either , there is still a lot of room for improvement and for that expect occasional praises and criticism and when we criticise Team Sanguenya should give as space .
E-Ticketing is the way to go and congratulations is deserved and earned .