Leopards, Gor cancel out in thrilling ‘Mashemeji’ derby
Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards shared the spoils in a high octane Mashemeji derby at the Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday.
The contest lived to its billing and the 1-1 scoreline was a true reflection of what transpired for 90 minutes on the pitch.
The outcome saw leaders Gor Mahia move to 13 points from five matches while Leopards have amassed 9 points in six games.
Gor Mahia, the away team and pre-match favourites, got their noses ahead in the 35th minute through inform forward Ali ‘Teargas’ Abondo’s deft right foot shot from inside the box for his fifth strike in the league and eighth in all competitions.
In the buildup to the goal, the lanky Michael Olunga, who himself had a great evening, dummied his Leopards markers to setup Abondo.
However, Leopards would not go down without a fight with the bragging rights and three points at stake.
Jacob Keli, who bagged the Most Valuable Player and Golden Boot awards in 2013 leveled the scores ten minutes after the break.
“I am very proud of the boys. They played their hearts out, it was a tough match and I’m pleased with their input. We had our chances during both halves but again this is football, it can always go either way,” Gor Mahia coach Frank Nuttall who was taking charge of his his first derby said.
GOOD RESULT
Leopards coach Zdravko Logarusic expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the match.
“It’s a good result for us. Gor Mahia were in better shape and better form prior to this match. They have played more games and to get a point against them is good,” Logarusic said.
In the day’s other KPL match, Sofapaka piled misery on Nakuru All Stars with a 3-1 thumping of the hosts at Afraha Stadium in Nakuru.
Batoto ba Mungu netted their match opener in the 45th minute through Collins Shivachi’s fierce free kick from outside the box.
Nakuru equalised in the 65th minute through Boniface Akenga but were eventually felled by two strikes from veteran striker John Baraza who scored in the 78th and 87th minute.
Meanwhile, Kakamega Homeboyz’s Keiphas Mutuko scored the first hat trick of this season’s FKF Premier League in a deserved 4-0 victory over Moyas at Bukhungu Stadium in Kakamega.
The promising forward scored the match opener in the ninth minute with a right footed drive from the edge of the box and then added two goals in the 46th and 61st minutes of the match to secure the result.
Moses Mudavadi put the icing on the cake with the final goal of the match late on.
Elsewhere, Nakumatt and Talanta FC’s poor show in the competition continued, as the two sides suffered losses to Finlays and Agro Chemicals respectively.
Brian Asewe’s first half goal was sufficient to secure Naivasha based Finlays a much needed victory over Nakumatt, whilst a star-studded Talanta were crashed 3-1 by Agro Chemicals in Kisumu.