Derby enjoys unlikely ending: AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia fans in rare show of camaraderie

The biggest story of the weekend is perhaps the peaceful manner in which the Mashemeji derby ended.

For the first time in a long while, the police had their teargas canisters intact after the final whistle.

Could the Shemejis have finally realised that at the end of the day, it’s just a game and there has to be a winner and a loser?

At some point during half-time, and with Gor Mahia leading 2-0, K’Ogalo fans joined their Ingwe counterparts for a dance round the stadium.

Previously, such a sight would only have existed in an ideal world.  The Mashemeji derby has always been punctuated with running battles where fans engaged in stone-throwing contests. Here, fans from either side were always right and the referees wrong.

And while AFC Leopards went home with bulging pockets from the hefty gate collections, Gor Mahia got what was more important, the three points.

AFC Leopards were left hurting by their traditional rivals Gor Mahia, who won 3-0. AFC were getting no mercy from their 'in-laws'.

Leopards simply did not turn up for the game and their coach Stewart Hall had every reason to use fume at his players in the post-match interview.

Hall also told his players to take responsibility for that defeat. Leopards lost the game in the midfield. This department did not cover their defence and starved their forward line with the much-needed balls.

Gor had a field day, penetrating the Ingwe box at will.

“We lost the game in the first 15 minutes when we were running around like scared rabbits, they (Gor Mahia) were on top of their game physically, mentally, tactically... everything,” said Hall.

“I tried to take the pressure off the players, but we could not handle the occasion. I tried to tell them to play the ball down, but they could not do it,” added Hall.

“I feel terrible for the fans. I could just refund their money." Leopards fans got a raw deal.