KPL TOP 8 SHAME: Muhoroni handed trophy inside dim-lit dressing room for fear of rowdy Gor fans

KPL TOP 8 FINAL Muhoroni Youth celebrate winning the 2016 Kenyan Premier League Top 8 Knockout tournament by beating Gor Mahia 1-0 at Nyayo Stadium on Sunday, October 16, 2016. [PHOTO: COURTESY/STANDARD]

The curvaceous models holding the glittering Kenyan Premier League Top 8 trophy with supple palms, make their way into the bossom of the Nyayo Stadium, huffing and puffing.

Inside the dark dressing room are Muhoroni Youth players waiting to lay their hands on the testimony of a piece of history they had just yanked out of Gor Mahia hands.

Problem is, there was to be no spleandour in the fullness of afternoon sunshine for Gor Mahia hooligans had taken over Muhoroni Youth’s moment of glory.

It was, in short, another shameful sight witnessed on Sunday during the final match of the KPL Top-8 tournament at Nyayo Stadium as irate fans caused premature end to the fixture.

With two minutes to go, the match referee was forced to end the proceedings after angry fans stormed the pitch. The incident was sparked by a scuffle between KPL head of security GMT Ottieno and Gor Mahia fitness trainer Sandro Fantoni.

Before the scuffle, the two were seen arguing on the touch-line after Ottieno confronted the Italian of having thrown a second ball into the pitch.

Seconds later, a scuffle ensued between the two attracting the attention of Gor Mahia stewards and some members of the technical bench who pushed away Ottieno even as Fantoni was held down.

Irate fans from the terraces also joined in the fray forcing policemen to lob tear gas carnisters and disperse the crowd.

Muhoroni Youth players took cover inside the changing room and it was from here that they received their trophy after a hard-fought tie.

This is after the fans made it impossible for the trophy to be presented on the pitch with all the fan-fare that follows such occasions. Everything had been set for an auspicious occasion. Stunning models dressed in red were on standby to give out the trophy and escort the players to receive the medals. In the end, they were also caught up in the running melee.

Afterwards, the trophy had to be sneaked out of the stadium. This is the first time that KPL has failed to give out the Top-8 trophy since the competition was launched and it remains to be seen what action the company will take on this matter.

In April, Football Kenya Federation (FKF) issued tough rules aimed at curbing hooliganism in the country’s top flight.

Among the penalties set out by FKF is the docking of points and it remains to be seen whether Gor Mahia if they are found guilty can lose league points even though the incident happened in the Top-8 tournament.

Speaking afterwards, Muhoroni Youth coach Tom Juma castigated Gor Mahia fans who perpetrated the violence.

“Hooliganism is in their DNA, but they must learn to accept losses as much as victory. What they did today was unacceptable,” he said in a post-match interview.

Juma admitted that his side was lucky to win the match as their opponents completely dominated.

“We were very lucky today when you consider the number of chances that Gor Mahia lost in the match,” he said.

This was the first trophy that Muhoroni Youth have won since being promoted to the KPL three years ago.