Gor Mahia’s defeat to Kakamega Homeboyz at Kasarani has opened the title race wide against close contender Tusker FC.
K’Ogalo lost 3-2 to visiting Homeboys in an entertaining match played and Moi Sports Center Kararani. The extra-time winning goal by Seba was enough to silence all-time champions.
Hillary Otieno, with literally the last kick of the game, drove in the final nail with a stunner, and a third goal for Homeboyz, as the less-talked-about visitors beat Gor Mahia 3-2 at the Kasarani Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.
Gor Mahia were off to a great start through Patrick Kaddu’s opener, before Ambrose Sifuna leveled matters just before the halftime break. The crazy second half began with a quick goal from Austin Odhiambo before Homeboyz put on the after-burners with an equalizer from Kevin Amwayi, all setting up for the haymaker late on.
Against the backdrop of a section of the Gor Mahia support that was up on its feet for almost all minutes leading up to the game, it was the home side that laid bare their intent in this contest, springing their way to a rather porsche start.
Pass after pass, the composure of the team looking to win its 20th league title was breathtaking.
It was from a quick move down the right that offered the moment of delight for the Green Army, as Austin Odhiambo lifted a cross to the box for Patrick Kaddu to sneak past Robinson Kamura before heading home – Shikhalo rooted to his spot.
A rapid Homeboyz counter-attack in the 38th minute found recent Harambee Stars debutant Moses Shummah in a sea that only had a backtracking Sylvester Owino. His task was simple, and that was to play a simple ball to the overlapping Ambrose Sifuna behind him.
The former Sofapaka man wheeled on one one against Gad Matthews – delightfully toe-poking his ball over for the equalizer. The goal meant silence.
And even as Owino mistimed a ball that had Amwayi force Gad into a big save late in the half, one thing was clear. Gor Mahia needed to score again – for the atmosphere’s sake.
Johnathan McKinstry threw his opening gambit at the break, bringing on Boniface Omondi to replace Peter Lwasa.
As they did in the first half, Gor Mahia broke to a quick start once again and with a sweeping move just two minutes after the restart, the trio of John Macharia, Patrick Kaddu and Austin Odhiambo combined, the latter lashing a powerful shot past Shikhalo as he wheeled off to the supporters in celebration.
Hillary Otieno had one of his audacious shots go slightly over minutes after, as K’Ogalo surprisingly sat deep to protect their lead.
A long shot from John Otieno from the right cannoned off the bottom right post, and as everyone turned to spot the ball, one Kevin Amwayi was off in muted celebrations- just as the nature of the goal that saw him collect the rebound, smacking the ball past Gad to mean the inevitable.
McKinstry at the half-hour mark turned to his dependable striker – Benson Omala – to turn things around, and he almost did, hitting his ball across goal only for Eric Ambunya to stand in its way.
That was not the only time the Homeboyz defender was going to stand tall, as he cleared a deflected Bonface Omondi ball infront of the line in the 75th minute.
Nervousness creeped in the stands as the clock wound down, the only figure consistent here being goalkeeper Farouk Shikhalo as he held every looped cross that came in his direction.
Then the moment when everything went mad, Hillary Otieno, deep into four minutes of added time, scoring the third to win the game, ousting the fans in the wild wild fixture.