Who did it better? Gor Mahia and Ingwe fans breathe life into Nairobi [PHOTOS]
Football
By
Ondeke Joshua
| Mar 09, 2020
Status quo remained after perennial Kenyan champions Gor Mahia silenced “noisy neighbors” AFC Leopards in an epic ‘Mashemeji Derby’ encounter staged at the Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi.
K’Ogalo stung Ingwe 1-0 courtesy of Boniface Omondi's 27th-minute strike to seal their dominance in the KPL table standings.
However, K’Ogalo held on to win the match, extending their dominance in the derby, Ingwe stole the show when it came to entertainment.
Just hours before kickoff, K’Ogalo and Ingwe supporters gathered and crowded the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD), before proceeding to witness the action at the stadium.
After 90 minutes, both teams had something to be proud of despite Ingwe lagging 14 points behind the KPL league leaders.
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But who did it better?
As is football tradition, derbies are always characterised by encounters which carry rich histories that usually identify with fans of opposing clubs.
Because of its dominance, the Mashemeji Derby draws the attention of the Kenyan political class, who often take time of their busy schedules to attend the match.
Specifically, derby matches are some of the most anticipated KPL fixtures of the season, mainly due to the ever-growing fan base.
All the same, the Mashemeji Derby normally begins in the CBD where fans commemorate their dominance before they head to the stadium.
Yesterday, as Gor Mahia fans seemed to dominate the streets of Nairobi, Ingwe fans, on the other hand, were not left behind.
Ingwe fans were full of energy and were optimistic, believing they possessed the capabilities to slay K’Ogalo.
K’Ogalo fans led by Jaro Soja camped at the Tom Mboya statue along Moi Avenue for the pre-match celebrations as Ingwe fans sang near KenCom bus stop.
You could say, the celebrations from Gor Mahia and Ingwe fans brought life into Nairobi
From the looks of things, AFC Leopards fans seemed to have passed the same energy to their players whom were evidently the better side - missing a couple of good goal-scoring chances.
However, the Mashemeji Derby is never fruitful without little encounter between fans from opposing teams.
Gor Mahia walked away with bragging rights, having now beaten AFC Leopards 29 times in the league. With the win, the league champions stretch their lead at the top of the table to 54 points from 23 games.
AFC Leopards remain sixth with 40 points, having played the same number of games. They are yet to crack a winning formula against K'Ogalo in eight league meetings. ?
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