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Kakamega Homeboyz’s Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League title hopes received a big blow after a 2-0 defeat by Tusker as AFC Leopards failed to break the jinx of failure to beat their arch-rivals Gor Mahia in a one-all draw. 

At Kasarani stadium, an estimated 25,000 fans including President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga, watched as Gor came from a goal down to share the spoils with Leopards in the two teams’ 91st Mashemeji derby. 

Leopards have not beaten Gor since 2016 when Ivorian Lamine Diallo netted the solitary goal for the big cats to seal the match as a contest at the same venue. 

During the match of fluctuating fortunes, Leopards were the quickest off the block, Vincent Omune latching onto a superb pass from Peter Thiong’o in the 28th minute with his shot catching Gor goalkeeper Gad Matthews napping at the near post. 

In the second half, a rejuvenated K’ogalo prodded Ingwe’s defence which resulted into getting a deserved equaliser through Benson Omala. 

Great improvement

Despite Leopards’ failure to end a horrific run against Gor, the latter’s chairman Dan Shikanda paid glowing tribute to the team for a great improvement against a team that has always beaten them on the league front. 

‘We have learnt from our past mistakes. I have all along had the belief that we can end the voodoo of the indifferent results and we almost did. When you watch the match in its entirety you will be convinced that this was a team that was determined to turn the tables,” said Shikanda. 

The team’s coach Patrick Aussiems blamed hard luck for his team,’s failure to pick maximum points. 

“It’s a game we should have won but we eventually settled for a share of the spoils and that’s football,” Aussiems said. 

 His Gor counterpart Andras Spiers said: ”My players were relaxed after the setback of conceding first and they managed to pick themselves up and I must thank AFC for giving us a good match.” 

Leopards were the first to threaten when Lewis Banda laid a neat pass to Omune in the second minute but shot wide when under the challenge of Gor defenders Philemon Otieno and Geoffrey Ochieng. 

Three minutes later, Leopards’s Eugine Mukangula was denied by the defensive solidity of Gor who then started coming into the game with Omala and George Odhiambo making menacing runs at the opponent’s goalmouth. 

Raila hinted that the government will award both Ingwe and Kogallo Sh10 million for each club while players will get Sh2 million per club to share.  At Ruaraka, Homeboys suffered heartbreak at the hands of Tusker, their closest challengers for the title who needed goals by Tanzanian Ibrahim Joshua and Deogratious Ojok. 

The success by Tusker, who lie in the second position in the league chart, saw them bridge a point with leaders Homeboyz with both teams having an equal chance of winning the title.