Gor Mahia head coach Andreas Spier is happy with the progress of his team ahead of “Mashemeji” derby pitting the two most celebrated clubs in the region – Gor Mahia vs AFC Leopards to be staged at the newly built Kenyatta Stadium in Kisumu City on 8th May 2022.
The head coach has also issued a rallying call to club supporters to start attending the team’s games with the Mashemeji Derby this coming weekend.
“I urge our fans to come back now that we are one match away from the derby and we need to win our next game to build on our mentality. We are targeting second place but if we play well and the chance of winning the title comes then we shall take it,” Spier said during an interview with Mozzart Sports.
The record league champions have over the years enjoyed fanatical support across the nation but after the Covid-19 pandemic, their match attendance has been dwindling with just a handful of fans showing up for their games even when staged in Nairobi.
In their match against Kariobangi Sharks on Sunday 1st May 2022, Andreas intimated that he would have wished for his side to collect maximum points but was delighted to see his side play high-tempo football.
“It’s not what we wished for from this match, we played a good game and it was a hotly contested game with a high tempo, I’m happy with the speed at which we played today,” said Spier
The last time AFC Leopards beat Gor Mahia was in March 2016 at Kasarani when Ivorian striker Laminne Diallo came from the bench to score the winning goal for AFC to grab the “Mashemeji” derby bragging rights.
Since 2011 Gor Mahia has won 13 games, drew 7, and lost 3 a statistics that gives K’Ogalo the upper hand to the next meeting that might see the return of fans to the stadium.
K’Ogalo is in position 5 in the league table with 46 points while their arch-rivals AFC Leopards are in distance 10th position with 38 points.
But the two rival meetings have come with a couple of incidences causing suspensions of the games and sometimes punishments.
In their 71st league meeting where the game ended in a barren draw with the off-field antics dominating the action and play held up for 25 minutes on March 19th, 2012, Gor fans took issue with the referee for showing their player a red card.
Everything was going on well until the 67th minute when referee David Omweno sent off Ali Abondo after a dangerous tackle on Muchiri. Omweno and his two assistants Peter Kereini and Gilbert Cheruiyot, were held hostage on the field before they were escorted out of the pitch through gate six by armed police.
Ingwe were not left behind 3 years later (August 23rd, 2015) causing the abandonment of the match that was stopped at the 65th minute due to another fan trouble.
AFC Leopards fans began to throw objects onto the field when Gor Mahia were awarded a penalty after Jackson Saleh handled the ball in the penalty box. After a prolonged wait, security officials determined that continuing the match was not feasible on security grounds.
With all there hype and anxiety that comes with the derby, the end result always brings excitement with the winning team having the bragging tight longer until the next clash is scheduled.
With the venue set to Kenyatta Stadium in Kisumu, a city with a huge fanbase of K’Ogalo, Ingwe have vowed to get the equals on the 12th man with their home fens from Kakamega promising to counter the presence of the Green Army.