The much awaited match between Kenyan football arch-rivals AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia is finally over; Gor has beaten Leopards 3-1.
I guess Leopards are regretting why they had to offload Demonde Selenge who played a big role in humiliating Leopards by scoring a goal when he was introduced as a substitute for Gor. Selenge was among the players that Leopards released in the just ended Kenya Premier League transfer window period.
As had been said by many, it was not easy to predict who the winner of the match was going to be as matches between the two matches are always difficult to predict since the best side does not always emerge as the winners.
Looking at recent results and the current league standings, Gor has had a better run in compared to Leopards who have been struggling to find their footing. As expected, the match was a tough one and the winners deserve to be congratulated.
Overally, even though Gor won the match of the day, AFC were a better side position-wise but only failed to score. They had many opportunities which they failed to convert into goals. On the other hand, Gor made use of the chances that came their way and they punished Leopards severely! Loosing by three goals in such a match must be very bitter for Leopards to swallow but sweet victory for Gor.
The newly appointed Leopards coach, Jan Koops, has had a bumpy start to his coaching career at Leopards. I feel that Leopards are paying the price of making chances in their playing unit by letting go of a lot of talented players at a go. The team that played against Gor is still trying to gel after the departure of more than half of its first team playing unit. The team looks promising but it will take time before they can play to win.
On the other hand, even though Gor have won the match today, a lot still needs to be done to make them the team that came second in the league last year. One thing you will have to give their coach Zedekiah ‘Zico’ Otieno is that throughout the week he has been talking like he is not so concerned about the results of the team. He has repeatedly said that the match with Leopards was just like any other and that he was under no pressure.
But anyone who knows the history of football in this country, or any match pitting the two teams against each other, would know the amount of pressure that coaches are under before a match between the two teams. And ‘Zico’ should know better having been a Gor player in the 1990s when rivalry between Gor and Leopards was at its peak.
I believe he managed to disarm the Leopards coach, who is news to Kenyan football by pretending to be under no tension. I am sure ‘Zico’ was working day and night to find a formula to overcome Leopards. And his slyness paid off. By the results of the match, he managed to achieve his goal.
Gor will have to do a lot if they hope to wrestle the league cup from last year’s winners, Ulinzi. Their win should not lull them to be complacent thinking that the rest of the season is going to be smooth sailing. Their defence was not as solid as it should be. Their salvation was that Leopards’ strike force was not lethal enough to cause damage to Gor.
The man of the match for Gor was Haji Mwakazi who made runs around Leopards players. Even though Haji did not score, he helped to make it difficult for the Leopards players. Leopards too had their man in Mike Barasa, who scored the only goal for them. He was a force to reckon with in Leopards strike force. He gave his all but his efforts could not yield much.
Outside the pitch, the fans were at it, giving their teams the much needed moral support. Sitting on the Gor side, I was amused by what was happening around me. One fan I was sitting next to was so mesmerized by the good control exhibited by Haji, and was heard saying, “this guy is swimming in the field” (you have to hear that in Dholuo for you to know what I mean!).
Interestingly, the player, a darling of the Gor fans, has been nicknamed, Al Shaabab, and he is said to be the only legal Al Shaabab in Kenya!
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