Gritty Gor edge out Ingwe in dramatic Mashemeji Derby

FKF Premier League leaders Gor Mahia for the second time this season got the better of their arch-rivals AFC Leopards with a gritty 1-0 win on what turned out to be a dramatic soggy Sunday afternoon at the Nyayo National Stadium.

The defending league champions, who were forced to play with 10 men after goalkeeper Kevin Omondi was sent to the showers late in the first half, got their only goal of the game through Austin Odhiambo at the half-hour mark.

The former Leopards player accompanied teammate Benson Omala for a press against keeper Levis Opiyo as he tried to build play from behind, cornering him to a high profile gaffe as his clearance rebounded off Odhiambo and into the net.

The hosts, despite playing with a man advantage for majority of the game, were left to rue a missed chance to break into the top six, falling flat in a second half they dominated but couldn't get a way past substitute keeper Caleb Otieno.

The win for Gor Mahia takes their lead at the summit to nine points, and will definitely look at this win - over their rivals and engineered through pure grit - as one that took them one step closer to their 21st crown.

Match report

Perhaps a sign of things to come in inarguably the biggest game in the country, kickoff was delayed thanks to a scuffle between match stewards.

As the teams readied up for kickoff, it appeared that one steward was walking round behind the Gor Mahia goal before another took his direction, stopped him, before causing a commotion that involved the rest.

About five minutes was all it took for action to begin, and it was Gor Mahia who settled early on, almost going ahead through Omala.

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The Premier League top scorer was after five minutes in the right position to head a Shariff Musa cross wide, the attempt marking the aftermath of a bursting K'Ogalo attack that saw a one-on-one Rooney Onyango denied by Opiyo.

Musa Masika was enjoying his role in attack as he laid off a pass to Bryson Wangai after seventeen minutes only for his shot at the edge of the box to trickle wide.

Soon enough, the former KCB man had struck a post, just before Nyayo Stadium went crazy.

Ingwe's normal build-up looked to be going to plan when Opiyo laid off a short goal kick to Kennedy Odhiambo to initiate attack.

Instead, the center back on seeing Gor twin pressure from Omala and Odhiambo, opted to return the pass to Opiyo, who on one touch had the former in his face before slashing his hurried clearance into Odhiambo for a decisive opener.

The moment felt big in this game but soon enough, the leaders were facing the prospect of playing the game with 10 men after Kevin Omondi was adjudged to have fouled Victor Omune outside the box.

The move came after Vincent Mahiga -who won possession deep in his half - looped a ball over the K'Ogalo backline and into Omune, who looked to be clear before an onrushing Omondi caught him to draw a red card on afterthought from referee Peter Kamaku.

Advantage Leopards then, as Masika was sacrificed for Caleb Otieno in goal.

Otieno's first test was to handle a tame Brian Wanyama freekick , before being sprung to claim near moderate saves and crosses from an out-of-sorts Ingwe side who failed to create meaningful attempts in the second period.

Leopards coach Tomas Trucha in his bid to save face brought on two strikers - Brian Yakhama and Arthur Gitego - only for the plan to backfire as it played to Gor Mahia's script: the green shirts falling behind to hold on to a big derby victory.

Sunday FKF PL results

AFC Leopards - Gor Mahia 0-1 (0-1)

/A. Odhiambo 30/

Murang'a Seal - Muhoroni Youth 0-0

Ulinzi Stars - Tusker 0-1 (0-0)

/E. Kapaito 50/