Ten-man Gor Mahia showed fight and grit to upstage sworn rivals AFC Leopards in a clash that took place at the Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
A goal by Austin Odhiambo in the 29th minute was enough to separate both sides in a match that would be overshadowed by a couple of tempers flaring on a couple of occasions, including the very beginning of the match when stewards would clash just before kick off.
Nonetheless, Gor Mahia started the game on a high and should have taken the lead as early as the seventh minute.
Rooney Onyango missed a chance forcing Levis Opito to parry it onto the path of Benson Omala, who headed it wide.
Gor Mahia continued dominating, making short crisp passes and emphasized on overloading the right flank in efforts to pin back Hassan Beja and Vincent Mahiga down their left flank, and after a good chance missed, they created another in the 17th minute when Rooney Onyango made a crossfield pass towards the left flank, finding Bryson Wangai.
Wangai then made a neat exchange with Austin Odhiambo, before he met the return pass and attempted a shot into the bottom right corner of Opiyo’s net, but it was not enough to deter him.
Eventually, Gor Mahia’s pressure would reap reward and they would take the lead in the 29th minute through Odhiambo.
Leopards dallied in possession when playing out from the back after Opiyo received possession of the ball. Odhiambo and Omala pressed him well, before forcing him to turn possession over, and soon, Gor would sail ahead.
However, things would quickly turn sour for them as three minutes later, Gor keeper Kevin Omondi would be sent off after fouling AFC Leopards’ Victor Omune after sweeping off his line, forcing them into making an early change, subbing on reserve keeper Caleb Omondi.
Leopards would create more chances with a man advantage but could not score which left them trailing at the break.
Things would get dire at the break as both sets of stewards exchanged blows near the tunnel at half time, and although Leopards players were able to enter the tunnel, Gor players wouldn’t, forcing them to have their half time briefing on the pitch.
After the break, the game became edgy and tight with no team managing to create real opportunities in the other’s half, but AFC Leopards we’re fortunate not to receive a dismissal to one of their players themselves when Opiyo appeared to foul Sharrif Musa outside the box in the 63rd minute, but the referee blew for a goalkick, having seen no infringement.
Caleb would turn out to be the unsung hero for Gor Mahia as he made a string of saves and was particularly commanding in the area, dealing with all areal balls very nonchalantly.