Gor Mahia edge closer to record-extending 21st title despite drab draw against KCB

Record Kenyan champions Gor Mahia need just one win out of the remaining four matches in order to be crowned champions for the 21st time in the club’s history.

This is after the Johnathan McKinstry-coached side played to a drab 0-0 draw against KCB in their Round 30 league match staged at the SportPesa Arena on Thursday afternoon, taking their tally to 64 points, ten ahead of closest challengers Kenya Police.

Ahead of the encounter, McKinstry, who will be leaving the club at the end of the season, was looking to break his hoodoo against the Bankers as he has never won since joining at the start of the 22/23 Football Kenya Federation Premier League campaign, losing once and drawing twice.

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However, just four minutes in, it was the diminutive James Mazembe who almost gave KCB the breakthrough when the rifled shot off his left boot beat Kevin Omondi in the Gor goal but just thundered off the crossbar much to K’Ogalo’s relief.

As if in retaliation, Gor got a free kick in good territory and Shariff Musa timed his run to perfection but his flicked header from a Bryson Wangai in-swinging free kick just grazed the top of the net with the KCB defenders left begging for the offside flag which was not forthcoming.

Those two early moments however did not ignite the spark in the game as it dropped into a lull until two minutes past the half-hour mark when Musa Masika nearly forced an own goal with his driving low cross across the face of goal, Nashon Alembi lucky to see his clearance just leaping over the crossbar for a corner kick.

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There was nothing that separated the two sides as they got into the break but that moment could have been changed just two minutes after the second half’s resumption with Wangai’s low shot just wheezing past a thankful Gabriel Andika who had outstretched himself.

Despite a raft of changes, the game lacked clear moments of incision as both sides struggled to create.

Benson Omalla thought he had stolen the three points for Gor Mahia right at the death when he poked the ball past Andika after some clever interchange between four Gor Mahia players, but their celebrations were cut short when the linesman lifted his flag for offside as both sides ended up sharing the spoils.

K’Ogalo will now face Muhoroni Youth on Sunday with three points securing the title but the team could also win even before playing should Tusker beat Kenya Police at the Police Sacco Stadium on Saturday.

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