Why Gor Mahia had easy run in title race: AFC, Tusker and Sofapaka failed to challenge K'Ogalo's dominance

Gor Mahia while being crowed the 2017 champion at Moi Stadium Kisumu on November 18 2017. (Collins Oduor, Standard)

Impasse between KPL and FKF still dominated season as 18 teams finally took part.

Without a doubt, lack of worthy competitors made it easier for Gor Mahia to win an unprecedented 16th Kenyan Premier League (KPL) title in a season that was marred by delayed kick off, TV black out and court cases over league composition.

Just like the previous season, the league kick off delayed for over a month due to an impasse between KPL and Football Kenya Federation (FKF) on the league’s composition and formation.

While the federation was rooting for an expanded 18-league team, KPL was adamant on 16.

However, the federation had their way after the Sports Dispute Tribunal (SDT) ordered for the implementation of an expanded 18-team league.

But even before the season kicked off, another legal tussle ensued between the federation and KPL duo of Sofapaka and Muhoroni Youth over club licensing requirements with FKF relegating the two clubs after they failed to meet Caf Club Licensing threshold.

However, Sofapaka and Muhoroni got relieved when the SDT reinstated them with the Tribunal Chairman John Ohaga terming FKF Club Licensing Regulations’ manual defective.

“The result of the foregoing is that we find the FKF Club Licensing Regulations as set out in the manual defective in certain material respects. We also find the manner in which the Club Licensing Committee undertook its responsibility to be wanting,” said Ohaga after the ruling.

What followed was the termination of the KPL broadcasting contract by SuperSport International in April citing breach of contract.

And after four months in the dark, the top flight league games got back on air in July after the league organiser’s signed a six-month broadcast partnership with free-to-air channel Bamba Sports.

Despite a legal battle over the tendering process of KPL’s Free To Air and Pay TV, the elapse of Bamba’s contract paved way for a new partnership between KPL and Spanish production company MediaPro.

The production company has reportedly been contracted by the league organiser’s to produce their matches next season.

Vihiga United and Wazito were then promoted to next year’s top tier football after finishing first and second in the National Super League (NSL), replacing relegated duo of Western Stima and Muhoroni Youth.

Even before dust settled, the Kenyan football experienced another stand off between the two bodies regarding the promotion and relegation criteria ahead of the 2018 season.

KPL were against a two-legged playoff involving a 16th placed team in top tier and a team that finished third in the NSL, hence insisting on going back to a 16-team league format, but the federation stood their ground on retaining the current 18-team league and went on to organize the playoff.

Thika United, who had earlier on unsuccessfully filed a suit stopping the play-off, managed to retain their topflight status after beating Ushuru 2-1 on aggregate.

Back on the pitch, although Gor Mahia were declared champions with five matches to go, it is the relegation dog-fight that went down to the wire that made the season captivating.

Leopards lift GOtv

Briton Dylan Kerr turned around K’Ogalo’s fortunes after replacing Jose Marcelo in July, helping them to reclaim the title with five matches to spare as arch-rivals AFC Leopards beat Kariobangi Sharks 2-0 in GOtv Shield final to book a place in next year’s continental football.

With a set target of reaching the group stages, the two giants will be hoping to improve on Kenyan teams’ performance on the continental scene when the competitions kick off between February 9-11 2018 after a dismal performance by Tusker (Champions League) and Ulinzi Stars (Confederation Cup) early last year.

The brewers and the soldiers crushed out in the first round of their respective competitions.

And with their recent massive recruitment and early preseason plans, Gor will be seeking to replicate their impressive local form against Leones Vegetarianos of Equatorial Guinea in the preliminary round as Robert Matano’s Ingwe entertain visiting Fosa Juniors of Madagascar.

But it is evident that Dylan Kerr’s side had no ‘serious’ opposition in the 2017 season that saw the Briton loss one league game.

Interestingly, all the teams that were expected to give K’Ogalo a run for their money, were just but pretenders.

Sofapaka and Posta Rangers were too close but inconsistency affected them, while deposed champions Tusker, Ulinzi Stars and AFC Leopards’ performances were below par.

Batoto Ba Mungu were tightly in the contention but it is the month of September that dented their title hopes after registering three losses in four matches.

Sammy Omollo’s Rangers assumed the league’s leadership on several occasions but didn’t have the grip to hold on after a brighter start to the season.

Rangers went eleven matches unbeaten before losing 1-0 to Ulinzi Stars on May 21. This was followed by three consecutive draws before they beat Nzoia Sugar 2-1 on July 14 to dislodge Tusker from the top of the table.

At one point, Ulinzi Stars had also been considered as serious title contenders after they beat Nakumatt 2-1 on July 15 to leapfrog Rangers at the top.

But their title hopes were dented after losses to Nzoia Sugar and Nakumatt in the return leg tie. Ironically, Gor sealed their record 16th league title with an away 1-0 win to the soldiers on October 21.

Just like Rangers, AFC Leopards made a flying start to the season enjoying a healthy lead at the top of the table but faded away as the league progressed. Lack of quality players and coaching overhaul seems to have had huge implications on their title hopes.

Tusker were the biggest causality as they couldn’t win when it matters most after a stuttering start to the campaign.

Tusker were joint-top of the table alongside Gor (27 points) at round 12, but failed to capitalise on Gor Mahia’s falter (2-0 defeat to Sofapaka) to open a three point gap after drawing 0-0 with Kariobangi Sharks on June 18.

The brewers went on to blow hot and cold failing to keep pace with Kerr’s squad and bottled-in early in the second leg before sacking coach George Nsimbe.

However, it is the dilemmas and dramas in the relegation dogfight that made the league exciting.

Save for Muhoroni Youth whose relegation fate was sealed way back before the final matches of the season, the other five teams at the bottom of the table took the relegation race to the wire.

Zoo Kericho and Nakumatt, who were temporarily suspended by the High Court as the league entered homestretch, Mathare United, Thika United and Western Stima, all three have made runs of their own at different times.