GOR step up chase: Champions K’Ogalo in touching distance of leaders Tusker

Gor Mahia's Harun Shakava, left, and Jimmy Bageya of City Stars vie for the ball during KPL match at Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday 24, 2016. [PHOTO: JONAH ONYANGO/STANDARD]

Gor Mahia revived their Kenyan Premier League title defence hopes with a hard fought 2-1 win against Nairobi City Stars that narrowed the gap on leaders Tusker to three points on Sunday.

Ezekiel Odera had returned to haunt his former employers, scoring within a minute of Harun Shakava before Collins Okoth became the unlikely hero, capitalising on City Stars’ concentration lapse to grab a last gasp strike for Gor to move to 34 points.

It was a result that coach Jose Marcelo really needed after their title rivals Tusker and Mathare United faltered as they both failed to collect maximum points in their respective matches in round 19.

For the second match running, the brewers were held to a frustrating draw, coming from behind to share the spoils (1-1) with bottom-placed Sofapaka in Machakos.

After dropping two points against Chemelil Sugar in their previous match, once again, Paul Nkata and his charges have themselves to blame for squandering a chance to widen the gap at the top (37 points) as the title race hots up.

But for fourth placed Mathare United, it now appears the heat is now turning back on coach Francis Kimanzi and his boys. The former champions are slowly losing their grip on the title challenge after surrendering four points in their last two games.

After snatching a point against AFC Leopards, Mathare suffered a shocking 2-0 defeat at the hands of 13th placed Thika United on Saturday.

“We were just poor in the last quarter of the game. In football, you get punished for any silly mistakes you make. But I believe the battle is still on,” said Kimanzi after Saturday’s defeat to Thika at the Nyayo Stadium.

It was a weekend that saw Ulinzi coach Robert Matano and his AFC Leopards counterpart Ivan Minnaert get relieved after wins over gritty opponents.

AFC moved back into the top half of the table (ninth) after completing a double against Sony Sugar (1-0) as the Soldiers leapfrogged Mathare into the third spot (courtesy of better goal difference) after bouncing back to the winning ways with 3-2 triumph over visiting Ushuru on Saturday.

Kakamega Homeboyz also extended their unbeaten run to six games after silencing hosts Chemelil Sugar by a solitary goal as ten-man Western Stima held seven placed Posta Rangers to a barren draw in Kisumu. Stima and Rangers are tied on points (27), but the mailmen are edged out on goal difference.

And as the battle for the title and relegation intensifies, so is the race for the golden boot gong.

Ulinzi striker John Makwatta ended his goal drought netting a hat trick in a five goal thriller to become the league’s joint top goal scorer (11 goals) alongside Muhoroni Youth’s Wycliffe Ochomo, who struck an equaliser before being sent off in their 2-1 defeat to Bandari.

The pair is followed by Gor Mahia striker Jacques Tuyisenge with eight goals, one ahead of AFC Leopards’ Kepha Aswani.