Super Omalla strikes twice as Gor Mahia add more salt to wounded Leopards
7th October 2023
The striker extend his tally at the top of the scoring charts to six goals after six games.
- Benson Omala scored a brace to help Gor Mahia claim all three points as well as the bragging rights in the derby.
- The 2-0 win saw Gor Mahia cut Posta Rangers' lead at the top of the table back to four points.
- AFC Leopards find themselves in second last position in the table as they remained winless after six games (D4 L2).
Two moments
of brilliance from Benson Omala helped record Kenyan champions Gor Mahia to extend
their dominance over eternal rivals AFC Leopards as the 20-time league winners
grabbed all the bragging rights on top of the three points in the 94th edition of the Mashemeji Derby.
Played at a
well-attended Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, Omala displayed two lethal
sides to his game as he bagged the brace that ensured AFC Leopards’ winless
start in the 2023/24 season extended
to six games (D4 L2), leaving them in second last position on the log.
On the 22nd minute, Omala, who only missed the Golden Boot last season by a single goal after finishing on 26 strikes, latched on a delicious through pass played into space by the creative Austin Odhiambo.
With his
searing pace leaving the Ingwe defense in his wake, the young striker showed
some proper decision-making as he cleverly lobbed the ball over the
onrushing Leopards keeper Levis Opiyo who tried to make last ditch efforts to
save his team but to no avail as Omala wheeled off in celebration after giving
the defending champions the lead.
Shortly
after, Ingwe, who were coming into the game on the back of three straight
draws, tried to provide some response in the match as they pushed a little bit up
the pitch.
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On two
separate occasions, through no forceful means of their own, the Tom
Juma-coached side almost found an equalizer as young Kevin Omondi, who was
making his Mashemeji Derby debut in the Gor Mahia goal, made two almost costly
mishandling errors but was let off the hook both times with the ball not just crossing
over the line.
Eleven minutes into the second half, Omala then planted himself in the right place in
the box to tap into an empty net after Rwandese international Patrick Sibomana
did all the hard work down the right side before fizzing in a low cross that
the striker just redirected into the net.
Those two moments proved to be what went on to determine the overall result as second-placed Gor Mahia cut Posta Rangers’ lead at the top of the table back to four points.
On the other hand, Ingwe found themselves embroiled deep in the relegation zone having collected only four points from the available 18.
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Saturday Results
Murang'a Seal 2-0 Sofapaka
Nairobi City Stars 0-1 Kenya Police
Ulinzi Stars 1-0 Kariobangi Sharks
AFC Leopards 0-2 Gor Mahia.
