By Hope Barbra
The war cry was loud ahead of the game. Tough talks and promises of victory featured throughout the week.
The stadium was packed to the brim, and the crowd was electric with a palpable atmosphere. The 99th Mashemeji derby lived up to the billing, the league decider.
Only three points separated the mighty Gor Mahia from their bitter rivals, Ingwe, AFC Leopards. A win for Leopards could have thrown the title race wide open.
But the sweet revenge by Gor Mahia over the first leg loss to Ingwe is what they needed to deflate the AFC Leopards’ charge for silverware. Captain Alphy Onyango rose to the occasion to dictate the terms by scoring the only goal.
Mighty Kogalo now have 61 points from 29 games against AFC Leopards’ 55 points from a similar number of games. A long haul for Leopards in pursuit of silverware.
After the victory, Kogalo reclaimed the bragging rights and will smile all the way to the silverware as AFC Leopards’ long wait continues.
Last year’s champions, Police, are a poor third with 48 points and have lost the gas in their defence of the league.
For the Kogalo lads, it was not just a win but laced with a Sh1 million gift from the Patron, Mr Eliud Owalo, who had promised to reward the victory.
And the AFC Leopards players did not walk home empty-handed either, as each player received a Sh3,000 token from a Webuye businessman.
Gor Mahia coach Charles Akonnor was full of praise for his lads, saying the planning and tactics worked so well to deliver his first Mashemeji derby victory.
“Everything we planned for and we wanted to do on the field of play, we did. We gave a good account of ourselves, and technically we were superior, and we had the last laugh,” he said.
The coach has been under immense pressure from the fans, and the victory now gives him a breather.
AFC Leopards wrote on their X handle: “A Mashemeji defeat at Nyayo Stadium. Thank you.”
Gor taunted the Leopards and wrote: “The famous quote: ‘I have never lost a derby’… and other short stories.”
Owalo wrote on his social media platforms: “SIX POINTS CLEAR AT THE TOP! Gor 1 – AFC 0, earning Kogalo a well-deserved 3 points at Nyayo today. Gor are now 6 points clear at the top of the KPL table. Glory be to the Lord!”
