Mara Sugar coach cites two reasons for heavy loss to Gor Mahia
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Reading Time: 3min | Tue. 20.01.26. | 13:34
The 2023/24 National Super League champions will be eager to arrest their decline and return to winning ways when they host Kenya Police FC on Saturday
Mara Sugar head coach Edward Manoah has attributed his side’s 3–0 defeat to Gor Mahia to a combination of experience and individual brilliance, conceding that the gap in pedigree between the two teams proved decisive on the day.
The Kilgoris-based outfit were outclassed by the record Kenyan champions, succumbing to the heavy loss that underlined Gor Mahia’s title credentials and exposed Mara Sugar’s growing struggles in the top flight.
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Gor Mahia wasted little time in asserting their authority, taking the lead just 14 minutes into the contest when Felix Oluoch tapped home a well-weighted delivery from Paul Ochuoga.
Musa Shariff doubled K’Ogalo’s advantage shortly before the interval, calmly guiding Jackson Dwang’s cut-back past goalkeeper Evans Omondi to give the visitors firm control heading into the break.
Any hopes of a Mara Sugar resurgence after the restart were quickly extinguished.
Second-half substitute Samuel Kapen sealed the dominant victory, tapping into an empty net after a fine assist from Ebenezer Kofi Assifuah to cap a ruthless attacking display.
Speaking to Azam TV, Manoah acknowledged that Gor Mahia’s superiority, particularly in terms of experience and individual quality, tilted the balance heavily in their favour.
“They were more superior and better than us, and we congratulate them for the win. For today, it was stage fright for my boys. The FKF Premier League is the highest league in the land, and there are teams with pedigree, " he said.
"There is a big difference between Gor Mahia and Mara Sugar, and even between my counterpart, coach Charles Akonnor and I , who has a national team well assembled at his disposal.” added the former Vihiga United coach.
The ex-Kakamega Homeboyz coach further lamented the challenges of working with a largely youthful squad, noting that Gor Mahia’s wealth of experienced, international-level players made it difficult for his side to compete on equal footing.
“We knew the assignment and understood Gor Mahia’s strengths, but we went flat against a ruthless attack,” he added.
“They were good on the flanks, and their experienced players, coupled with individual brilliance, worked in their favour.”
The defeat brought Mara Sugar’s first-leg campaign to a disappointing close and extended their winless run to five matches, with their last victory dating back to a month ago, when they edged Kariobangi Sharks 2–0 at Awendo Green Stadium.
As a result, the Trans Mara Sugar-backed side slipped to 13th place on the FKF Premier League table with 20 points.
They now find themselves uncomfortably close to the relegation battle, sitting just six points above the drop zone and seven clear of bottom-placed Kariobangi Sharks.
The 2023/24 National Super League champions, now in their second season in the top flight, will be eager to arrest their decline and return to winning ways when they host Kenya Police FC on Saturday, 24 January.
The fixture marks the start of the second-leg campaign, just ten days after the two sides played out a 1–1 draw in their previous meeting at Police Sacco Stadium.
