Gor Mahia and Kakamega Homeboyz settled for a point in a nervy encounter at the Mumias Sports Complex.
Kakamega Homeboyz and Gor Mahia played out a hard-fought 0-0 draw in a nervy encounter at the Mumias Sports complex on Sunday.
Homeboyz opted for consistency, sticking to the same lineup that defeated Bidco United, with Kevin Amwayi replacing Enock Masinza on the bench.
Gor Mahia, on the other hand, heavily rotated their squad, welcoming Kenedy Onyango, Ernest Wendo, and Musa Shariff back into the starting XI.
Gor Mahia are in the market for another goalkeeper despite having four custodians on their books but there are reasons why strengthening the department is vital.
The hosts began the match brightly, seizing control of the early proceedings against a sluggish Gor Mahia side.
Homeboyz nearly opened the scoring in the 20th minute when Pius Wangi’s powerful shot beat Kevin Omondi but struck the woodwork, leaving fans on the edge of their seats.
Another opportunity came in the 30th minute when Ben Stanley’s header was safely collected by Gor Mahia’s goalkeeper Omondi. Despite their dominance, Homeboyz couldn’t convert their chances, while Gor Mahia struggled to find rhythm.
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AFC Leopards created some good chances but could not make them count as they were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw on Saturday.
Second half
The second half resumed with Gor Mahia attempting to up the tempo, but the match quickly turned nervy.
The referee was forced to intervene, issuing yellow cards to Homeboyz’s Eston Omengo and John Omondi in the 53rd and 54th minutes, respectively. Gor Mahia’s Geoffrey Ochieng followed suit, receiving a booking in the 57th minute.
Pius Wangi came agonizingly close once again at the hour mark, but his effort was denied by the woodwork for the second time in the game.
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Gor Mahia were ordered by the Sports Tribunal to hold elections within 90 days, with strict voter eligibility and monitoring conditions.
In response, Gor Mahia made a triple substitution in the 65th minute, introducing Lawrence Juma, Samuel Onyango, and Alphonce Omija to add fresh legs. However, the substitutions did little to change the tide as Homeboyz maintained their composure.
The visitors’ woes deepened in the 81st minute when Joshua Onyango suffered an injury and had to be replaced by Levin Joseph. This substitution was part of a double change that also saw Sylvester Owino come on for Musa Shariff.
Despite both teams huffing and puffing in search of a winner, the defenses held firm, and neither side managed to find the back of the net.
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As the youngest in a family of eight with four elder brothers, Gor Mahia forward Musa Masika has drawn inspiration from his footballer siblings Shaban Masika and Ayub Timbe.
The match ended in a goalless draw, leaving both teams to share the spoils. For Homeboyz, it was a case of missed opportunities, while Gor Mahia will be relieved to have avoided defeat despite their struggles.
The result leaves much to ponder for both coaches as they look to fine-tune their squads ahead of the next fixtures.
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The goalkeeping legend has given reasons why he is worried that Kenya may take long before finding another top player between the posts.
How they lined up:
Kakamega Homeboyz starting XI: Simon Masaka, John Omondi, Boniface Onyango, Francis Omondi, Brian Chala, Glen Masaya, Eston Omeng, Faruk Musisi, Pius Wangi, Ben Stanley, Moses Shumah.
Gor Mahia starting XI: Kevin Omondi, Philemon Otieno, Kenedy Onyango, Joshua Onyango, Geofrey Ocheing, Ernest Wendo, Enock Morrison, Rodgers Ouma, Shariff Musa, Samuel Kapen, Gedeon Bendeka.
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As the youngest in a family of eight with four elder brothers, Gor Mahia forward Musa Masika has drawn inspiration from his footballer siblings Shaban Masika and Ayub Timbe.
Gor Mahia were ordered by the Sports Tribunal to hold elections within 90 days, with strict voter eligibility and monitoring conditions.
