Gor Mahia continued their dominance in the Mashemeji Derby with a dominant 3-1 win against bitter rivals AFC Leopards in a Kenyan Premier League (KPL) match on Sunday.
K’Ogalo came into the match hoping to claim maximum points and maintain the eight-point gap at the top of the KPL table between them and second-placed Bandari FC.
The match was a balanced affair in the first quarter an hour, with each team trying to get an early goal but none could get the ball into the back of the net, as defenders offered their goalkeepers with enough protection.
It was, however, AFC Leopards keeper Ezekiel Owade who was responsible for the mistake which led to K'Ogalo's 23rd minute opener. Francis Kahata delivered a cross from the right and the custodian spilled a weak Jacques Tuyisenge header and Nicholas Kipkirui pounced on it to make it 1-0.
It could have been 2-0 two minutes later when Tuyisenge found acres of space from the left, but Owade narrowed his angle and deflected the shot for a corner which K’Ogalo failed to capitalise on.
The 13-time league champions started the second half better and Paul Were won a foul against Harun Shakava. Were took the set piece and put the ball into a dangerous area, but there were no Ingwe players to head it in.
Brian Marita forced Peter Odhiambo into a fine save with his fierce shot from a free-kick in the 57th minute, as the Casa Mbungo-ed side looked for a goal to motivate them.
However, it was Kipkirui who broke the hearts of the home fans with his second of the game and ninth of the season. With about 30 minutes left, Tsaid Suma lost possession to Kenneth Muguna and the latter picked out the former Zoo Kericho man, who made no mistake.
Four minutes later, it was 3-0 to the visitors, albeit controversially, as Joash Onyango played the ball to Kipkirui. The ball seemingly bounced out of the field of play and Abdalla Salim assumed the referee would blow the whistle for a throw-in, but it did not happen.
Kipkirui went on to force the goalkeeper into a fine save, but the ball hit the crossbar and generously fell to Tuyisenge, who headed it in.
AFC Leopards got a consolation goal with three minutes to go - the otherwise outstanding Onyango's back pass was intercepted by Vincent Oburu, who rounded Shakava before scoring his fifth goal this season.
AFC Leopards XI: Owade Ezekiel, Kayumba Soter, Kipyegon Isaac, Abdalla Salim, Oruchum Christopher, Ochieng David, Said Tsuma, Isuza Whyvonne, Marita Brian, Were Paul and Oburu Vincent.
Subs: Bakame Eric, Sikhayi Dennis, Shami Kibwana, Mukangula Eugene, Kamura Robinson, Saad Mousa and Wayi Yeka.
Gor Mahia XI: Frederick Odhiambo, Philemon Otieno, Geoffrey Ochieng, Joash Onyango, Haron Shakava, Ernest Wendo, Francis Kahata, Kenneth Muguna, Jacques Tuyisenge, Samuel Onyango and Nicholas Kipkirui.
Subs: Boniface Oluoch, Joachim Oluoch, Charles Momanyi, Boniface Omondi, Juma Lawrence, Francis Mustafa and Erisa Ssekisambu.
