By Robin Toskin
Gor Mahia’s juggernaut rolls on! The target, unmistakably, is to knock AFC Leopards off their perch in the Kenyan Premier League table.
Although K’Ogalo’s match with Sony Sugar yesterday at City Stadium was so much about the millers’ desire to chalk up more points as was for Gor Mahia to keep up chasing the leading pack, the fans, in their thousands, had other ideas.
For, no sooner had Ivan Anguyo risen to head home the solitary goal in the 82nd minute than the fans mockingly burst into AFC Leopards’ now famous celebration; Ingwe! Ingwe! Ingwe!
So delirious was the call that it would be unimaginable the Ingwe Nation has not heard the mocking celebration, 13 days to their eternal derby.
Tom Mboya
K’Ogalo faithful took over city streets, making what is fast becoming a pilgrimage to the statue of freedom fighter Tom Mboya.
Remarkably, the catcalls are neither the first nor the last. They have reverberated ever since AFC Leopards chickened out of their KPL Top 8 quarterfinal match.
To their credit, Gor Mahia has eaten up the ground to creep to within three points of AFC Leopards to stoke embers of a potentially biggest derby in Kenya in the 21st century.
AFC Leopards on the other hand has stalled, barely cranking up a point here and there such that their 0-0 draw against Tusker on Friday may have felt like a full three points. How they drew, especially with goalkeeper Patrick Matasi seemingly with a generous spread of margarine on his gloves leaving Ingwe fans with their hearts in the mouth, was miraculous.
At the end of yesterday’s encounter, Gor Mahia coach Zdravko Logarusic was effusive, flashing the two-finger salute to an appreciative crowd.
But the win came at a cost of freezing nerves as Sony Sugar frustrated Gor Mahia by slowing down the tempo of the match.
Predictably, Gor Mahia dominated possession but with little sight of goal as Sony sealed the pockets of space in front of their goal.
Rama Salim, Dani Serrunkuma, Moses Odhiambo and Victor Ali all had a sniff of goal, but their attempts were either comfortably dealt with by Sony goalkeeper Collins Oduor or went wide.
Gor Mahia restored midfielder Joseph Njuguna in the starting line up, but had to be withdrawn as the former Tusker and KCB man appered to be struggling with injury.
Kevin Omondi got into action, but still the first half elapsed without threats worth writing home.
Enter Logarusic’s trump card, Edwin Lavatsa in the second half and Gor Mahia started ticking.
But just as it was in the first half, Sony slowed the Gor motor and almost ruffled their hosts’ feathers but for rush of blood on Dennis Okoth to shoot wildly over Francis Ocholla’s back heel in 56th minute. Gor’s attacking threat came via corners with Moses Odhiambo whipping in dicey crosses.
Paid price
Sony Sugar became increasingly edgy, their passes frequently intercepted.
They almost paid the price on 78 minutes, but goalkeeper Oduor had to stretch full length to put behind substitute Itubu Imbem’s cracking shot, a minute after Enock Agwanda had tested Gor goalkeeper Jerim Onyango with a header.
Sony’s ultimate punishment finally came when John Kiplagat conceded an unnecessary corner. Anguyo, who had wanted to take the corner, or was it a way to pass the message to Odhiambo? rose unchallenged to bury a thumping header past undecided Oduor.
Game on, it became for Gor Mahia is now within touching distance of AFC Leopards’ tail albeit with one match played than Ingwe.
