Gor Mahia fail to sweeten title celebrations after being held by Mara Sugar FC

Gor Mahia played their first match as this season’s FKF Premier League champions by settling for a barren draw with Mara Sugar at the Raila Odinga Stadium in Homabay on Wednesday, 27 May.

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K’Ogalo, who were crowned league champions for a record-extending 22nd time without kicking a ball last weekend, were accorded a guard of honor by their hosts, approaching the postponed tie in the laxest of means, with coronation day awaiting on Sunday, 31 May.

That is the best gift they would have offered mid-table side Mara Sugar, as the extra days afforded them to finally host the tie in a sensible ground, bore them a barely competitive game, and a first point over Gor Mahia since their promotion in the top tier.

The hosts will blame themselves however, for spurning numerous opportunities in goal, a point only enough to lift them to seventh on the log with 44 points.

Perhaps with all eyes on their final day fixture against Nairobi United, Gor Mahia were understandably less fixated to the result here, even as they maintained their unbeaten run against the Sugar Millers, and took their tally to 69 points.

Coming three days later than the intended day, Mara Sugar were the unfortunate players of a guard of honor in respect to the league champions, lining up on either side of the pitch entrance to usher in their visitors.

A tinge of laughter could be felt during that moment, as that pre-match gesture would not have been heaped on the hosts, had the fixture been played out accordingly.

The first signs of how Gor Mahia were approaching this fixture, bar the teaser from their social media team that accidentaly slipped in 'training' into their game announcement, was the relaxed nature of the normally all-action head coach Charles Akonnor, who on this instance, was happy to have his seat on the bench.

After a slow start, Mara Sugar carved the opening chance of the game when Timothy Ndayala let loose a canon from range in the 12th minute, only for Frank Odhiambo to put in a leg, deflectig the effort over Bryne Omondi's goal.

Minutes later, Shariff Musa latched on to a long throw from the left, weaved his way into the box, but shot straight at Joseph Ogenda. In the 20th minute, new league champion Jackson Dwang was unfortunate to see his special lob over Joseph Okwenda go to waste, as his resulting effort sailed over the goal.

Lawrence Juma, meanwhile, had a freekick go into the arms of the goalkeeper in the 25th minute, before Patrick Essombe conspired to miss from point-blank range, just three minutes after the half-hour mark.

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Those chances, in hindsight, were the bulk that Gor Mahia created all game, as Mara Sugar heaped pressure from then on, but with nothing to show.

Aineah Ndeto was party to a couple of them, first pulling a powerful drive in the 44th minute just wide of Omondi's post, before missing an open goal later in the second half, thanks to a goal-line clearance from Gor Mahia defender Brytron Onyona.

Prior to the latter, which came in the 76th minute, second-half substitute Dennis Cheruiyot had spurned a one-on-one opportunity at Omondi in the 56th minute, seconds after Samuel Kapen had failed to find his footing from a tight angle in the opposite end.

Ndeto, mainly operating on the left, was dismayed right at the hour, when his teasing cut-back from the byline fell at Daniel Wafula, who instead hit an air shot.

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Minutes later, Cheruiyot again was guilty of misfiring infront of goal, as he fumbled on a set piece routine, only driving a tame shot at Omondi to gather.

On the other end, Juma, now wearing the armband, shot straight at Ogembo in the 63rd minute, with Essombe miscuing the resulting rebound.

In the 76th minute, Omondi was lucky to see his courageous move outside the box not punished, as Ndeto, who won possession off the keeper, saw his lobbed effort hacked away by a closing Onyona.

Near the end, Cheruiyot was again fed with a looping ball, but misfired in the face of a closing Omondi.

All square.