Beleaguered Gor Mahia falter against Tusker leaving them two points above AFC Leopards

Record league champions Gor Mahia suffered a major blow to their title ambitions following a 1-0 loss to Tusker FC, a result that blew the FKF Premier League title race wide open.

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Ibrahim Joshua's first-half strike was enough to hand the Brewers all three points in a league match staged at the Wang'uru Stadium in Mwea.

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The result leaves Gor Mahia sitting precariously at the summit of the table, enjoying a slender two-point lead over arch-rivals AFC Leopards.

K’Ogalo went into the match sitting atop the table, just two points above their sworn enemies, AFC Leopards, with a game in hand and therefore were keen on opening a five-point gap at the top and affording themselves some breathing space.

However, they could not overcome the weight of the match and have now put themselves under immense pressure from Ingwe, whom they are yet to face in the second leg of the Mashemeji Derby, even as the league's homestretch continues.

Gor went into the match in decent form, having won eight of their previous 10 matches and on a 16-match unbeaten run.

Tusker, on the other hand, posted mixed results in their previous matches and had lost back-to-back league games against AFC Leopards and Police FC, respectively.

The match began at a slow tempo, both teams cautious on attack as Tusker opted for direct long balls to Ibrahim Joshua while Gor were seeking to find Shariff Musa on the flanks with diagonal balls from the central defenders.

K’Ogalo had good opportunities to take the lead in the first 10 minutes, but Musa and Patrick Esombe could not find the right pass to Ebenezer Assifuah at the apex of attack.

The Brewers would then show how clinical they were in the 15th minute when Ibrahim Joshua found the back of the net. Servyl Akouala on the overlap passed the ball to Ian Simiyu, whose shot at Gad Mathews was punched back into play with the Tanzanian pouncing on it to give Tusker the lead.

Gor responded with a series of attacks, notably in the 21st minute when on a counterattack, Pavelh Ndzila made an excellent save to prevent Assifuah from causing damage.

Heading into the half-hour mark, Assifuah wasted a glorious opportunity to give Gor the lead when, on a one-on-one with the goalkeeper, he directed his strike near Ndzila, who made a comfortable save.

K’Ogalo would then have loud calls for a penalty waved away by the referee when Patrick Esombe looked to have been brought down inside the box as Tusker took their lead to the break.

Gor’s first chance of the second half came in the 52nd minute when Enock Morrison floated in a free kick that found Frank Odhiambo, but the latter could not find the target with his header.

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In a bid to search for an equaliser and possibly a winner, coach Charles Akonnor in the 70th minute introduced Samuel Kapen and Ebenezer Adukwaw for Paul Ochuoga and Musa, who was seemingly injured.

The rest of the match saw Tusker depend on a low block to prevent Gor, who were in an all-out attack, from scoring as they managed to secure a hard-fought 1-0 victory.

With Gor Mahia’s defeat, AFC Leopards are the biggest winners of the day as they are now two points shy of Gor Mahia, even as the Mashemeji Derby looms.

Tusker move up to seventh on 40 points as they continue with what coach Julien Mette terms as preparations for next season.