Friday 28 August 2015

Gor's Sea Side Travails

Playing Bandari away has always been a difficult fixture for Gor Mahia. In 5 meetings between 2008 and 2014, we have only won 1 game and lost 4, courtesy of a David Owino header in 2013. In those games we have only scored 3 goals, 1 of them being an own goal last year. Apart from David Owino, only Peter Opiyo "Pinchez" has scored for Gor Mahia against the Dockers in Mombasa. That was way back in 2009.

Of the clubs we have played against more than 10 times in the league, it is the one we have amassed the least number of points against. None of our players has ever scored more than one goal against Bandari since 2008, all the 9 goals we have scored against them coming via 8 different players (Meddie, Abondo, Calabar, Blackberry, Macheda, Pinchez and Awilo). Of the clubs we have played atleast 10 or more games against in the league, they are the ones we have scored the least goals against. Forget about the likes of Tusker and Ingwe, of the current teams in the league, Bandari is our nemesis. One would therefore be forgiven for going into this game with much trepidation.


Past encounter against Bandari in Mombasa 

But this is a record breaking and recording chasing Gor Mahia team that has dominated all teams locally this year. Coming off the disappointment of not out-rightly winning against the eternal enemy last weekend, a game that was abandoned thanks to hooligans from our shemejis homes, K'ogalo will be hoping to not only preserve their unbeaten status but also to ensure no team wins any bragging right over them this season. A win will put us on the brink of defending the championship with five games to go (if we avoid defeat against Ulinzi in the next game). And while a draw or even a defeat will not take away our chances of defending the title, the players will know that it is a matter of pride. And what better way there is to relax at the coast than winning. 

Prediction: 1-0 to Gor Mahia. Meddie Kagere

See full stats against Bandari FC HERE

Picture courtesy of gormahia.net

Saturday 8 August 2015

K’Ogalo To Rob Bankers - They Always Do


K’Ogalo resumes league duties this Sunday against KCB after a successful CECAFA Cup outing. Six points ahead of second placed Ulinzi and with 3 games in hand, Gor Mahia are perfectly placed for a third successive league title, their first 3 successive league titles since the 1983-85 seasons and 15th overall. The only other teams to have achieved this feat are AFC Leopards (1980-82) and Ulinzi Stars (2003-05). Before celebrating that feat however, we have to dispose what is before us and that’s KCB.

Games against KCB have always been an interesting affair with plenty of goals though last season they did hold Gor to a 0-0 draw but one can argue Frank Nuttal was just getting used to the team. Since 2008, we have played KCB 15 times winning 8 and only losing 4. Three of those losses were in 2008, 2009 and 2010 and the fourth loss was after securing the title in 2013. In the process Gor Mahia has scored 22 goals but also conceded 16 – this points to a possibly a high scoring game this Sunday. Below is  a table on our record against KCB since 2008.

Games
Wins
Draws
Loss
GF
GA
G Diff
Points
Av Pt/G %
% wins
15
8
3
4
22
16
6
27
1.8
53.3

Check out detailed stats against KCB HERE

This season Meddie Kagere has already scored twice but it is worth noting that Rama Salim scored an incredible 7 times against KCB in 3 seasons (two of which he only played for half the season) that included a hatrick and double. Gor Mahia defenders have also always found the back of the net against KCB with a remarkable 6 defenders (including goalkeeper George Odhiambo) finding the back of the net out of the 14 players that have scored against KCB since 2008.


He was the scourge of KCB

Prediction: 3-1 to Gor Mahia with one of its strikers to bag a double


Interesting Fact: Should Olunga score a hatrick he will become the second player after Danny Sserunkuma to score 20 goals (in all competitions) in a season for Gor Mahia since 2008. So far he has scored 12 league goals and 5 in CECAFA Cup for a total of 17 goals. 

Photo courtesy of Supersport.com