Superb first-half display by the mailmen condemn Gor to a third defeat of the season
A ruthless first-half display by Posta Rangers earned them the seventh win of the season after thrashing record Kenyan champions Gor Mahia 3-0 at Thika Stadium in a rescheduled league match.
Rangers needed just 37 minutes to seal the three points which catapulted them to sixth on the log with 25 points, two off Gor who have now stretched their recent winless run to three matches.
Rangers head coach Stanley Okumbi was left impressed with the performance of his charges, especially in the first half.
” I am happy with the way the players expressed themselves and the way we scored our goals. Previously, we had been struggling in putting results beyond the reach of our opponents. We have been working on it and I am happy the players are slowly perfecting it,” he said.
A lapse in concentration by the Gor defense allowed Chrispinus Onyango to comfortably control a cross whipped in by Brian Marita and set it to Timothy Otieno who, while under pressure from Harun Shakava poked the ball to the bottom right corner to give Rangers the lead on six minutes.
Otieno, a former Gor player motored to the corner of the pitch to perhaps to celebrate his back to back goals having found the back of the net in their last weekend’s 2-1 loss in the hands of KCB.
The early goal by Rangers gave them room to settle in the game and engaged the second gear in search for the second goal that came in the 32nd minute courtesy of Chrispinus Onyango. A poor clearance by Shakava saw Vincent Wasambo intercept the ball before laying it on the path of Brian Marita who picked the unmarked Onyango in the box. The forward sent the ball to the bottom left corner of Gad Mathews.
Gor’s plan of coming into life and at least halving the deficit suffered a blow in the 35th minute when Otieno finished off a pin point cross from Marita to complete his brace.
In a bid to save the sinking ship, Gor made four changes before restart with John Ochieng, John Macharia, Boniface Omondi and Jules Ulimwengu coming in for Peter Lwasa, George Odhiambo, Philemon Otieno and Austin Odhiambo respectively.
K’Ogalo made the first serious goal onslaught 49th minute when Dennis Ng’ang’a forced a fingertip save from Kelvin Opiyo from a corner delivered by Omondi.
The changes made before the second half gave Gor the much needed impetus as they began eating into Rangers dominance but were let down by lack of aggressiveness in the final third.
To protect the lead, Okumbi brought in David Ochieng in the 67th minute for Jackson Dwang and would throw in Caleb Olilo for Wasambo in the 74th minute.
Ranger regained control of the game thanks to the fresh legs but couldn’t sneak the ball past Mathews who pulled good saves to keep the scoreline respectable.
Posta Rangers XI: Kelvin Opiyo, Kennedy Owino, Dinken Mwema, Michael Apudo, Bernard Ondiek, Sammy Meja, Jackson Dwang, Vincent Wasambo, Chrispinus Onyango, Brian Marita, Timothy Otieno.
Substitutes: Jairus Adira, Calvin Odongo, Victor Ndinya, William Odero, Steiner Musasia, Victor Majid, David Ochieng, Eliud Lokuwam, Caleb Olilo,