It's Gor Mahia's derby to lose once again

Another Mashemeji Derby is here. The greatest football showpiece in Kenya.Time for Nairobi residents to watch the city overflow in rivers of green, white and blue. Nyayo Stadium plays host to the world as giddy fans of Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards do their twice-in-a-season duty of rousing Kenyan football from its slumber. It is the crown jewel of Kenyan football matches. Historic, exciting, unmatchable. A chance for budding local players to announce their readiness for the national team. Champions of the future are discovered here. Destiny calls, glory beckons.

In a way, everyone plays the derby – by being part of the frenzy, savouring the social media banter, getting caught in the traffic jam that is sure to be at peak level on Thika Road starting midday today, and taking the feel-good carnival spirit back home.

The Mashemeji Derby, which ideally should be called the Nairobi Derby, is for everyone, from diehards of local football to despisers of football in general. Gates, hearts and arms are open to all and sundry.

However, there is only one winner. And that winner is already known, even now, more than 48 hours before kickoff. Everyone, except maybe the Ingwe technical bench, knows the outcome – that the green side will go home in jubilation, and the blue side will be shamed again, and to cope, they will probably sack their coach by Monday. It is a familiar script.

Yes, there was that lucky win in May last year when Gor fell 2-1 to their in-laws, but before that, you will have to go back more than eight years to find a day when Ingwe won this fixture. AFC Leopards are to be beaten once again on Sunday in this contest that is really just a game of confidence.

For a change, instead of splashing INGWE BEATEN AGAIN on the Monday paper, editors should consider switching to: BLOW TO GOR AS INGWE FAIL TO RISE TO THE CHALLENGE. The Green Army is tired of winning. They have won all but one fixture in almost a decade. They have celebrated in all styles. What they need now is a challenge. #SomeoneTellTrucha.

Long before the derby was a moment for Gor to assert their dominance, it was highly important won, and that whoever won last time wouldn't win next time. Gor have always been strong, but a decade ago the two teams were almost equally matched in terms of performance. They exchanged victory over each other almost every derby day, such that at the end of every season, both fans had a chance to celebrate.

Those were the days when Ingwe looked serious about winning another Kenyan Premier League title, and unseating Gor Mahia as the team with the most league wins in the country. Now, this is not anywhere in their plan. They have come to accept that a league title is way above their capability. That is where we are now. The mighty K’Ogalo is now a derby favourite without a serious challenger.

Gor and AFC have a long history of rivalry, but one seems to have reached its peak, while the other seems to have given up altogether about ever reaching that sweet spot called a peak. Nevertheless, the rivalry continues. Ingwe, please save us from another win, yawa!