Nairobi City Stars dent Gor Mahia title ambitions

Photo Credit - Gor Mahia FC.

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League holders Gor Mahia missed a chance to move to second in the table following a shock 2-1 defeat to Nairobi City Stars at Dandora Stadium.

K’Ogalo went into the game knowing that victory would guarantee them to move above second-placed Tusker FC, who had lost 2-0 against FC Talanta.

A win could have also seen K’Ogalo remain two points behind league leaders Kenya Police FC, who, just like Tusker, had lost their fixture 2-1 to Kakamega Homeboyz on Wednesday.

Despite the advantage swinging in their favour after Wednesday’s matches, K’Ogalo failed to take it with both hands and could only manage to leave without a point against relegation-threatened Simba wa Nairobi.

City Stars started strongly, pinning Gor Mahia into their own half in the early exchanges, and their pressure was rewarded after only five minutes played when Hansel Ochieng found the net for the opener.

Sensing danger and spurred on by the huge crowd, Gor Mahia responded with a well-taken goal in the 10th minute, when striker Benson Omalla latched onto a cross from the right before slotting into an empty net.

But K’Ogalo were made to pay seven minutes later, when, after a lapse of concentration in their back line, City Stars retook their lead. A ball from the right wing found Ochieng larking alone in K’Ogalo’s danger zone, and as he tried to weave past the defence, he was brought down and the referee pointed to the spot.

Vincent Owino stepped up to convert the resultant penalty kick, finding the right bottom corner, and City Stars led 2-1 at the half-time break. Despite mounting attacks to find a leveller, City Stars, under Salim Babu, remained solid at the back to avenge their 1-0 first-round defeat.

The defeat left record champions Gor Mahia third in the league with 53 points from 30 matches. They have managed 15 wins, eight draws and suffered seven defeats.

As for City Stars, the victory did little to help them out of the relegation zone. They remain 17th in the 18-team table, with 30 points from 31 matches. It was their seventh win of the season (D9 L15).