After a goalless first half, the second half was an end-to-end affair, and three goals were registered.
Gor Mahia claimed a 2-1 win over Bandari in a Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKFPL) game staged at the Mbaraki Sports Club on Wednesday.
Benson Omala scored a brace to ensure Gor Mahia came out winners, while a goal by Andrew Juma denied the league leaders a clean sheet.
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Meanwhile, in the 23rd minute, Lyson Muyonga was unable to break the deadlock even after Austin Odhiambo superbly set him through on goal. Bandari’s backline was caught unaware by Odhiambo’s fine pass, but Muyonga will blame himself for being slow in collecting the ball at a very promising position.
Gad Mathews made a vital save for Gor Mahia in the 26th minute when he stopped a fierce shot from Umaru Kasumba. After a little dominance by the Dockers, they almost registered an opener, but Matthews’ reaction denied them what would have been a deserved lead.
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A second chance to get an opener presented itself for Bandari in the 36th minute. Joe Waithera managed to make his way past a number of opponents, but his final shot – with Mathews well beaten - hit the post.
Opener
After they were kept at bay in the first half, Gor Mahia broke the deadlock a minute into the second half. Omala, who has had to deal with stiff competition from Patrick Kaddu, fired past Michael Wanyika to break the deadlock.
Kasumba, after another well-worked short play by Bandari, came close to equalizing in the 51st minute, but his low shot went inches wide.
After going down, instead of venturing forward in search of an equalizer, the Dockers largely remained in their area as they rotated the ball between Rodgers Aloro, Juma, Mohamed Siraj, and to some extent, Douglas Mokaya.
But when they moved forward, Waithera was the most dangerous man on the part of the home side, but his threats were equally dealt with by experienced Philemon Otieno along the left flank.
Omala’s brace
Omala once again found the back of the net when he scored the second in the 62nd minute.
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Gor Mahia won a free-kick after Ernest Wendo was brought down at the right flank by Mokaya. A pinpoint free-kick delivery by Austin Odhiambo met a rising Omala, who headed past Wanyika to extend K’Ogalo’s lead.
The home side was not demotivated after conceding the second, kept fighting, and scored in the 75th minute through Juma, a former Gor Mahia center-back who rose tall to half the deficit.
Bandari upped the attacking tempo and came close to claiming the second in the 83rd minute. But their efforts were canceled out when Kasumba was judged to have dangerously tackled Mathews as they vied for the ball inside the Gor Mahia area.
Bandari staged an 89th-minute attack, but Mathews was alert and managed to stop Mokaya’s goal-bound header.
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Creative midfielder scored in each half to halt K'Ogalo's two game winless run.
The game remained tense in the closing stages and in the five additional minutes, but the league’s heavyweights withstood the pressure and collected the points.
Bandari XI: Michael Wanyika, Omar Somobwana, Mohamed Siraj, Andrew Juma, Rodgers Aloro, Dennis Magige, Douglas Mokaya, Hassan Abdalla, Umar Kasumba, William Wadri, Joe Waithira.
Gor Mahia XI: Gad Mathews,Philemon Otieno, Geoffrey Ochieng, Sylvester Owino, Dennis Ng’ang’a, Boniface Omondi, Sydney Ochieng, Ernest Wendo, Benson Omala, Austin Odhiambo, Lyson Muyonga.