GOR WEATHER SONY STORM IN AWENDO: K’Ogalo pull off stunning win against sugar millers

GOR Mahia Collins Okoth(R) battle for the ball possession against Kennedy Otieno of Sony Sugar during their KPL match at City Stadium, Nairobi on Sunday 24/08/14.Gor won 1-0.PHOTO:BONIFACE OKENDO

There is no stopping for reigning Kenyan Premier League champions Gor Mahia, is there? When many thought their mid-week opponents, Sony Sugar, would pull a surprise against their more fancied opponents in their mid-week league encounter in Awendo, the Green Army were in perfect control. And in the end, ALi Abondo scored the all-important gem for a memorable 1-0 win in a match played under heavy rains yesterday afternoon.

Gor Mahia started the match well, as they pressed with little mercy, all in the search of the opener. And signs of their intention were all clear. Their lanky forward Michael Olunga hit the post after the first minute with the Sony goalkeeper well beaten, but his efforts couldn’t earn K’Ogalo that early lead.

The heavens were not going to allow for a flawless match and opened up as the match wore on. The resulting slippery conditions did not dampen Gor’s plot, as they showed their grit over the home team, what with the creation of several chances that saw Sony pinned in their own half for the better part of the match. K’Ogalo’s head coach Frank Nuttall didn’t hide his disappointment, after match referees failed to stop play, when the playing surface proved tricky to manoeuvre

“Why didn’t the match referee stop the match? That was unacceptable because the pitch was not playable. “ said Nuttall.

Sony also created a few chances of their own, but they were few and far between and none could trouble Gor Mahia’s custodian Boniface Oluoch, who did well to keep the opponents at bay. Oluoch has now registered four clean sheets in a row.

Olunga, who rattled the goal posts thrice with ferocious shots, gave the Sony defence hectic time all through the match, but it was Abondo, who scored the decider in the 57th minute through a fantastic curled free-kick. With the playing field flooded, a not-so-free-flowing football was witnessed, but Gor tried to handle the situation well.

Gor’s win was their first at Awendo in as many years and they are unbeaten after 10 rounds of matches. They now lead the table with 26 points. K’Ogalo will next face Western Stima in Kisumu on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Sony Sugar’s head coach Zedekiah Otieno said he does not regret his team’s 1-0 loss to Gor, saying the match was played “under tough weather conditions.”
Otieno said the players tried their best  but the heavy downpour slowed them down, dampening their spirits in the process.

Unlike previous occasions when he could be seen walking off the pitch immediately after the end of a match, this time, the coach took his time to shake hands with Gor’s technical team, as they engaged in a warm banter. In a post-match press conference, Otieno said his team put forward their best skills, but Gor were lucky to win.

“As far as I am concerned, the game was good only that the weather conditions were not favourable,” said Otieno.