Leaders Tusker rally from behind to beat Gor Mahia
Tusker midfielder Faraj Odeny clears the ball under pressure from Gor Mahia defender Philemon Otieno during their Football Kenya Federation Premier League match at Ruaraka grounds on July 8, 2021.
What you need to know:
- Tusker lead the league standings
- Champions Gor Mahia are third
- Tusker won the first leg encounter 2-1.
- Gor Mahia won the Betway Cup last weekend after beating arch rivals AFC Leopards 4-1 on post-match penalties after a barren draw in regulation time.
Leaders Tuskers opened a four point gap at the helm of Football Kenya Federation Premier League table after rallying from behind to hit champions Gor Mahia 2-1 at Ruaraka grounds on Thursday.
Eugene Asike scored the match winner in the 90th minute to secure all three points for the brewers.
Gor Mahia had taken a 14th minute lead through Tito Okello who tapped in Kenneth Muguna's free kick from close range.
Gor Mahia striker Tito Okello celebrates scoring the opening goal during their Football Kenya Federation Premier League match against Tusker at Ruaraka grounds on July 8, 2021.
Boniface Muchiri restored parity for the brewers in the 56th minute before Tusker grabbed victory at the death.
The win saw Tusker move four points clear at the summit of the table with 50 points from 23 matches. Gor Mahia have now fallen behind in the title race in fourth place on 39 points from 23 matches.
Their arch rivals AFC Leopards are a place above them on 40 points from 22 matches ahead of their match against Bandari on Friday at Thika Sub County County Stadium.
Five minutes into the match at Ruaraka, pacy winger Muchiri saw his low powerful shot punched back into play by Gor Mahia custodian Gad Mathews with Sammy Meja's rebound going wide.
Well-taken free kick
Gor Mahia then got a free kick nine minutes later which Muguna curled inside the box to find an unmarked Okello for an easy tap in.
At the half hour mark, Tusker's Brian Marita dribbled past K'Ogalo captain Harun Shakava and picked out Kevin Okoth but the forward saw his effort go inches wide.
K'Ogalo left back Geoffrey Ochieng' then went into the referees book for a dangerous foul on Marita at the edge of the box in the 39th minute.
Gor Mahia's forward Sammy Onyango was also yellow carded a minute after the restart for a foul on Asike.
In the 54th minute, Tusker's custodian Michael Wanjala was forced to come out of his line to save an aerial ball from the midfield with Okello and Burundian international Jules Ulimwengu lurking dangerously.
Muchiri then brought Tusker back into the game with a well-taken free kick.
Tusker coach Robert Matano then made a triple change in the 62nd minute, introducing Rodgers Aloro, Humphrey Mieno and Christopher Ochieng' for Christopher Oruchum, Henry Meja and Faraj Odenyi.
His opposite number Portuguese national Carlos Manuel Vaz Pinto brought in Clifton Miheso and Abdoul Karim in place of Ulimwengu and Onyango.
Questionable corner
Asike then scored at death from a bullet header from Sammy Meja's corner to settle the contest in the brewers' favour.
However, the goal raised eyebrows as it resulted from a corner which should have a been goal kick.
The replays showed the ball had gone out for a goal kick from a George 'BlackBerry' Odhiambo touch. Odhiambo was tussling for the ball with K'Ogalo's Andrew 'Roma' Juma.
Tusker beat Gor Mahia by a similar scoreline in the first leg of this fiery fixture.
In another match, relegation threatened Nzoia Sugar shocked highflying newbies Bidco United with a solitary goal win at Agricultural Showground in Nakuru.
Hillary Simiyu scored the sugar millers' match winning goal in the 67th minute to snap an eight match winless run for coach Ibrahim Shikanda's charges.
Following the win, Nzoia remain 14th on the log with 20 points from 22 matches while Bidco also remain 12th on 26 points from a similar number of games.
