SportPesa Super Cup: Gor books a date with Everton after Super Cup victory

#SportPesaSuperCup Champions,

It is official. Kenyan Premier League’s most successful club, Gor Mahia, will battle English Premier League side Everton on July 13 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

K’Ogalo booked the date after beating eternal rivals AFC Leopards 3-0 in the SportPesa Super Cup final at Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Sunday.

The victory earned Gor Mahia Sh3 million for emerging the inaugural tournament champions.

The tournament was contested by eight teams from Kenya, Tanzania, and Zanzibar.

Gor Mahia’s Ugandan import Meddie Kagere got the Golden Boot award after ending the tournament with three goals.

Custodian Fredrick Odhiambo won the Golden Glove award after he ended the tournament with a clean sheet.

Timothy Otieno, Oliver Maloba, and John Ndirangu found the back of the net for Gor Mahia in the second half after a barren opening half.

Otieno embarked on a solo move before releasing a screamer to give Gor Mahia the first goal in the 59th minute.

Gor Mahia thrash rivals AFC Leopards 3-0 to win the #SportPesaSuperCup.

Then Maloba converted a George ‘Blackberry’ Odhiambo cross in the 75th minute after he was set free by Francis Kahata while Ndirangu slotted in his only goal of the tournament in the 91st minute.

“This a great honour for me. I still can’t believe that I did not conceded a goal in this tournament,” goalkeeper Odhiambo said.

Kagere said he gave his all despite fasting during this religious period and that he was honoured to be the best and top scorer of the tournament.

Gor’s head coach Ze Maria, fresh from holiday in his native Brazil, thanked his assistant, Zedekiah ‘Zico’ Otieno, for leading his charges to the finals in his absence.

Otieno said he believed they would triumph after going through the statistics, which he said favoured them.

“Statistics don’t lie. I knew this final was ours to lose after we won all our games without conceding a goal,” said Zico.

He added: “I used our young players in this tournament to give them exposure. I thought our opponents would give us a run for our money this time round, but this did not materialise.”

Newly engaged AFC head coach Dorian Marin from Romania conceded defeat, but pledged to build a stronger team once he settles in the job.

QUOTE

“The pressure was on our side in the derby and I am glad we won to confirm our superiority over our opponents. The presence of Ze Maria also boosted the players confidence ahead of the match,”Gor’s assistant coach Zedekiah ‘Zico’ Otieno.

UTILITIES

Gor Mahia 3               AFC Leopards 0

*Timothy Otieno 59th

*Oliver Maloba 75th

*John Ndirangu 91st