Bandari ready to dock Gor as league action kicks off

Kariobangi Sharks Shafan Oyugi (left) and Francis Kahata of Gor Mahia during supper Cup at Kasarani Stadium on Sunday 2. 2018. [Joah Onyango, Standard

AFC Leopards clash with Sharks in Machakos tomorrow.

Fresh from guiding Gor Mahia into the first round of the CAF Champions League, Hassan Oktay will be making his SportPesa Premier League debut against tricky Bandari, in the opening match of the season, in Mombasa today.

Western Stima and KCB will both be on the road to clash with Posta Rangers and Kakamega Homeboyz on their return to the topflight football as former champions Mathare United welcome Chemelil Sugar at Kasarani.

While Gor will be hoping to start their title defence on a positive note, their perennial rivals AFC Leopards face an early test of their title credentials against a free-scoring Kariobangi Sharks at Kenyatta Stadium, in Machakos tomorrow. 

Going by Bandari’s impressive performance last season, Oktay, a coach of Turkish-Cypriot origin, who was recently appointed as Dylan Kerr’s replacement, could not have wished to start his reign at K’Ogalo with a trip to the coastal town.

The dockers finished the 2018 campaign second on the log, their best ever position, with 62 points, 13 points behind Gor whose 22-game unbeaten run they ended way-back in August.

Though Gor have had a few on and off the pitch issues ahead of the new season with Kerr leaving the record Kenyan champions after their 4-0 defeat to Everton in a historic friendly match in Goodison Park, Bandari coach Bernard Mwalala has warned his charges to prepare for a difficult match.

But with Gor still smarting from the 2-1 defeat at the same venue four months ago, today’s encounter presents an early chance for both teams to lay down an early marker for a glorious season.

“Despite their issues, Gor Mahia are still a good team with a great coach in Zico (Zedekiah Otieno), who has been with them for over two years now. So, I don’t think if there was a vacuum there,” Mwalala told Standard Sports.

“We will not look at Gor Mahia’s pre-season because they have been playing competitive matches and have known their mistakes through those matches.

“Whether they have issues or not, at the moment they’re the best club in the country.

“But my boys are courageous and motivated to deliver results

“We beat them in our last meeting, so we know they are going to come hard on us. However, the positive thing is that we know how to approach such matches.”