Perfect start to new season elates Gor Mahia head coach

Gor Mahia head coach Johnathan McKinstry has showered words of praise to his team following their perfect start to the new 2022/2023 Football Kenya Federation Premier League.

After the opening two matches played, the record Kenyan league champions sit joint top of the log alongside defending champions Tusker - who have a better goal difference - after recording consecutive victories against Nzoia Sugar and Bidco United.

With the six points accrued from the matches, the results meant that the 19-time Kenyan champions made an improvement to their start in last season’s campaign where they only managed two points at the same stage, a start that has delighted the Northern Irishman who is on his first season with K’ogalo.

“Last year we only took two points out of our two opening games and this year we have six points from them so we have improved from last year. We were not too happy with the performance in the first half despite being in the lead halfway through because we did not hold onto the ball enough. After some changes, we went into the second half a much better side and we got the result,” the head coach told Mozzart Sport.

The win also ensured that Gor Mahia ended their frustrating run over the Thika based side as they recorded their first win over Bidco since March 2021 with the three meetings in between them having all ended in draws.

In the match where captain Philemon Otieno once again slotted in the left back position, McKinstry also clarified the reason behind the decision to shift the player to the left.

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“Geoffrey Ochieng picked up a little knock right at the end of preseason and we did not want to rush him back. He came on for the last ten minutes and we think he is just about ready to come back because he started on the bench. Hopefully, by the next game he will be fully fit to start. In the two games however, Philemon has been excellent and you would not know he is a right back,” the head coach added.

Record league champions Gor Mahia are set to proceed for a two-week break after their upcoming matches against Wazito and Mathare United were postponed.

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Both Mathare United and Wazito occupied relegation places after last season alongside Vihiga Bullets and are yet to kick off the league due to a pending case at the Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT).