10-man Gor Mahia hit Wazito in Utalii thriller
Wazito FC's Musa Masika (centre) vies for the ball with Gor Mahia's Clifton Miheso during their Football Kenya Federation Premier League match at Utalii grounds, Nairobi on May 31, 2021.
What you need to know:
- Coach Vaz Pinto then rested Okello for the towering Samuel Onyango. Wazito's first best chance of the second half arrived in the 73rd minute when Philemon Otieno made a timely save to deny the waiting Wazito attackers.
- Ulimwengu, who was playing his first match for K'Ogalo since the resumption of the competition on May 14, ensured K'Ogalo bagged all the three points with a rising shot in the 82nd minute after Onyango found him with a through ball.
Champions Gor Mahia on Monday beat Wazito by a solitary goal in a rescheduled Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKF-PL) match staged at Utalii grounds in Nairobi Monday.
While hosts Wazito dominated the first half, Gor, who finshed the match with 10 men after Samuel Onyango was sent off in the 93rd minute, returned stronger in the second period and scored the match's lone goal eight minutes to time through substitute Jules Ulimwengu.
The slim win saw K'Ogalo gain more ground on the top sides, as they leapfrogged Kariobangi Sharks into the fourth position on 31 points, thanks to a superior goal difference.
Tusker, who have played 18 matches, lead with 38 points. Wazito, who also have a match in hand remain, 10th on 23 points.
It is Wazito who started strongly with Boniface Omondi causing trouble to his former side early with a rising shot from the right, before Joseph Odhiambo's dangerous cross from the left went begging in the K'Ogalo box.
Wazito's custodian Levis Opiyo, also formerly with Gor, was drawn into action for the first time in the 13th minute by Clifton Miheso through corner-kick delivery, before the winger again tested him with an ambitious volley three minutes later.
With 20 minutes elapsing, yet Gor had not created any clear chance here prompting coach Carlos Manuel Vaz Pinto and his assistant Sammy Omollo to come off their technical area and rally their troops.
Miheso's free-kick on 25 minutes was easily dealt with by Opiyo, before Philemon Otieno cleared for a frutless corner-kick Joseph Odhiambo's cross the other end.
Joseph Odhiambo continued to be a menace to the K'Ogalo defence, beating his marker two minutes past the half-hour mark to force Gor keeper Gad Mathews to a brilliant save, as Wyvonne Isuza's rebound was blocked by the visitors' backline.
Six minutes to the breather, Abdoul Karim's powerful drive was saved by Opiyo and the two sides went into the break still goalless.
Wazito's coach Francis Kimanzi introduced midfield maestro Kevin Kimani for Boniface Omondi at the restart. But unlike in the first half, it is the champions who were on the steering wheel in this second period.
Gor attacked immediately through Tito Okello, whose powerful drive from the right did not trouble Opiyo. The South Sudanese then forced Opiyo to a fingertip save with his close range header in the 51st minute, before he wasted the best opportunity when he failed to find the back of the empty net.
Defender Andrew Juma had another golden chance to give Gor the lead. but he also missed the target.
Five minutes past the hour-mark, the impressive Miheso was unlucky as his long range attempt just sailed inches wide.
Coach Vaz Pinto then rested Okello for the towering Samuel Onyango. Wazito's first best chance of the second half arrived in the 73rd minute when Philemon Otieno made a timely save to deny the waiting Wazito attackers.
Ulimwengu, who was playing his first match for K'Ogalo since the resumption of the competition on May 14, ensured K'Ogalo bagged all the three points with a rising shot in the 82nd minute after Onyango found him with a through ball.
