Gor Mahia FC 2 - 0 Ushuru: Penniless K'Ogalo leave taxmen bruised in their pursuit of KPL glory
Football
By
Gilbert Wandera
| Aug 12, 2015
Gor Mahia players put behind them their troubles and showed up for Wednesday's Kenyan Premier League (KPL) match against Ushuru which they won 2-0.
Goals by second half substitute Enock Agwanda in the 70th minute and Innocent Wafula in the sixth minute were enough to give Gor Mahia another win as they moved to 52 points at the top of the log.
The players, who boycotted training on Tuesday protesting unpaid allowance and salaries agreed to honour the fixture after being paid part of their dues.
The local champions did not disappoint and went ahead in the sixth minute through Innocent Wafula who tucked home Michael Olunga's effort.
Before the goal came, the tax men appeared to be the more ambitious side and had three chances to take the lead but poor finishing cost them.
READ MORE
Doctors set 90-day ultimatum for pay talks, warn of strike
Kenya, Italy adopt four-year cooperation plan after Ruto-Meloni talks
Olunga, boasting 12 goals to his name was a thorn in the Ushuru backline who worked extra hard to ensure he does not score.
Soon after setting up Wafula to score the opener, Olunga was himself denied in the 12th minute when Richard Mwangi blocked him from scoring and Gor Mahia had to be content with a corner.
One minute later, Ushuru got their first serious chance to equalise with Barack Odhiambo forcing Boniface Oluoch in goal into a save after being put through by Rodgers Ochieng from a corner.
The move seemed to expose Gor Mahia's defensive frailities which have been clearly evident of late.
Ushuru's Moses Arita was cautioned for bad play on Olunga after he clamped on the Gor Mahia forward who fell awkwardly. The resultant free kick was well taken by Khalid Aucho who found Karim Ninzigiyimana unmarked and he crossed the ball well only for it to be cleared before reaching the intended target.
In the 34th minute Collins Okoth should have made it 2-0 for Gor Mahia, but his header went wide.
By this time Ushuru were under too much pressure and kept on conceding too many corners and were lucky to go to the break not having conceded many goals.
Gor Mahia started the second half on a high with Michael Olunga denied by Samuel Odhiambo in the very first minute of the second half. Then ten minutes after that Meddie Kageira was also denied as the KPL champions upped their dominance.
The KPL champions were rather wasteful in a good part of the second half creating many chances which they however could not convert. Things, howeve,r changed from the hour mark when Enock Agwanda came on for Collins Okoth. Agwanda was on the pitch for hardly ten minutes before he created and scored the second goal from the penalty spot after Ushuru goalkeeper Samuel Odhiambo brought him down inside the box.
The goal deflated Ushuru and they had no reply as Gor Mahia picked another three points to become the first team in the league to hit the 52 point mark.