Gor Mahia and Tusker coaches were happy with a draw in Wednesday’s Kenyan Premier League(KPL) match at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
Gor Mahia coach Bobby Williamson
Gor Mahia coach, Bobby Williamson, whose side dropped their 100 per cent winning record in four matches, preferred to focus on the positives after the floodlit fixture.
“We did not lose to Tusker. We kept a clean sheet. It means in five games we have only conceded once and this keeps our momentum going,” he said.
He added: “The match against Tusker was always going to be tough and a number of our players were also suffering from fatigue, considering the number of matches we have been involved in.
“In my opinion, it was an end to end game with both goalkeepers and defences called to work extra hard. It gives us a lot of confidence going into our next match,” he said.
Gor Mahia play Nairobi City Stars on Sunday at the same venue.
Tusker coach Robert Matano said his aim was to pick all three points against Gor, but he still appreciates the one point they got at home.
Bad run
“I wanted a win badly, but in the end we got a draw. I am disappointed, no doubt, but I still appreciate the one point we got because, for the third match in a row, we have not lost.
“It means we have put behind us a bad run that saw us lose two games in a row to Mathare United and Muhoroni Youth,” said Matano.
On the pitch, both defences were called to work extra time to ensure they kept a clean sheet although the front men were also a bit wasteful in both halves.
Gor dominated the first half, but the game swung in the brewers favour after the change and goalkeeper Jerim Onyango was rightly named man of the match after stopping Tusker many a time.
Few chances
In one of the few chances which came Gor’s way, Tusker goalkeeper Samuel Odhiambo was forced to stretch full length to clear a well executed corner kick by Innocent Mutiso in the 23rd minute.
Odhiambo then made a finger tip save to keep out Edwin Lavatsa’s goal-bound shot at the half hour mark.
Gor finished the first half with four corners to Tusker’s none, a show of their superiority which started from the beginning.
Five minutes inside the second half, Gor Mahia were nearly rewarded when Paul Kiongera was picked out by Kevin Omondi, but he headed wide.
Tusker replied almost immediately when Robert Omunuk found himself inside the Gor box, but was denied when Donald Mosoti cleared out the ball as the brewers got their first corner of the match.
Omunik was at it again before the hour mark, but this time, his shot was stopped by Jerim Onyango.
Jesse Were had the best chance to put Tusker ahead when he found himself unmarked and facing Onyango in goal only to shoot meekly at the towering Gor goalkeeper.
By GILBERT WANDERA, The Standard
