K’Ogalo were made to sweat for a point by a defiant Mathare United side who rallied from two goals down to hold the champions 2-2.
SportPesa Premier League (SPL) champions Gor Mahia were however handed a record 17th title in a colourful ceremony at the Moi Stadium in Kisumu on Sunday.
Congratulations are in order to @OfficialGMFC – #KPL2018Champions. It’s now time to start early preparations for 2018/2019 season & #CAFCL. #Sirkal pic.twitter.com/lXWHqzJOfk
— Frank Orinde (@FrankOrinde) September 30, 2018
The Slum Boys, donning their traditional yellow with new sponsors Odibets on the front, mounted a guard of honour in respect of the champions just before kick-off and eight minutes into the game, Jacques Tuysienge showed why Gor had won the league with six matches to spare.
The Rwandese forward opened the scoring with a brilliant solo effort in the eighth minute, rounding Job Ochieng’ before calmly slotting into an empty net. Humphrey Mieno doubled the hosts’ advantage shortly after the restart and at that point the champions looked to have snapped their four match losing streak.
However Klinsman Omulanga came off the bench to inspire Francis Kimanzi’s charges to a remarkable comeback. He halved the deficit with an easy tap-in on 67 minutes after some good work from Daniel Mwaura on the right. He then won a penalty that was successfully converted by Cliff Nyakeya with only ten minutes left.
Mwaura almost won Mathare the game at the death but his curler from the edge of the box was brilliantly kept out by a full-stretch Peter Odhiambo. Gor coach Dylan Kerr was irked by his boys for giving away a healthy lead and not crowning their big day with a win.
“We should be here celebrating, giving the fans something to celebrate but we didn’t do that. We played well, we should have scored three goals but we didn’t,” began Kerr.
“We were not professional. That’s the word! Professional people shut the shop, two nil go home champions. With two goals we should have sealed the game.
“They had two shots and scored two goals. It’s good that we got a point (didn’t lose) but it’s also bad that we got a point (drew) because we should have got three points.
“If you got what Mathare had today which was heart, fight and desire which we should have had because we are champions. Fair play to Mathare they kept going,” griped Kerr who later did a lap of honour around the stadium on top of the team bus carrying the glittering trophy.
The lads showed character to rally from two goals down and hold champions Gor Mahia to a 2-2 draw at the Moi Stadium in Kisumu.
Jacques Tuyisenge and Humphrey Mieno scored for the hosts while Klinsman Omulanga and Cliff Nyakeya scored to secure a point. #SPLChampions2018 pic.twitter.com/HA6s4AgUfa— Mathare United FC (@MathareUtd) September 30, 2018
His opposite number Kimanzi spoke glowingly of his second half inclusions, Omulanga and Mwaura, who turned the game on its head.
“Sometimes you must wait for the moment. The last 15 or 20 minutes is a very special moment in football especially when you have players who have mobility and are also technically sound. I knew that we had those players around us and I’m happy that they were able to cope with the situation,” assessed Kimanzi.