Kenya’s most decorated football Club Gor Mahia showed grit to create a passage way to continental football via the Football Kenya Federation Cup by trouncing bitter rivals AFC Leopards 4-1 in post match penalty shootout to win the trophy on Sunday evening at Nyayo stadium.Isaac Kipyegon and Said Tsuma were denied from the spot kicks as Sidney Ochieng’, Kenneth Muguna,Samuel Onyango and Clifton Miheso to emerge 4-1 victors in the post match penalties.Losing coach Patrick Aussems decried the officials refereeing decisions which he claimed would have changed the outcome of the tie.”Sometimes football is unfair becausewe had the most chances of the game. We were unfortunate to hit the penalty, the referee also failed to give us a clear penalty when our striker was brought down in the box.”Vaz Pinto who grabbed a first title in his first season at K’Ogalo was elated and dedicated the feat to his entire unit involved.”It was a really difficult match and I think we deserved to win this tournament in terms of how congested our fixture list was. The situation is even more special because our fans were in the crowd and them together with the chairman and the entire playing unit deserve it because it is a really difficult time in regards to the pandemic,”And so after clamour about where the big final would be played, the two teams emerged from the tunnels and onto the green turf at Nyayo National Stadium, a ground fit for an occasion of such grand nature, historical backing and the stakes involved. Win the match and walk away two million rich, bragging rights claimed and a precious chance to represent the country in the continental Confederation Cup.But if the first half was anything to go by, it looked like Ingwe had been camping at the Nyayo turf as they dominated the 45. Just five minutes in Elvis Rupia could have found the opening goal of the game as he beat last man Harun Shakava to the ball hit behind the defense with his sheer pace. His curling shot that beat a fully stretched Gad Mathews in goal could just not find the back of the net as it unluckily cannoned off the upright.Still Ingwe heaped even more pressure as they took the game to Gor who were struggling to find their feet.For all the possession, Ingwe could not clearly fashion another clear goal scoring opportunity and if they thought they did, the linesman was on hand to twice catch Rupia in an offside position.Gor took thirty minutes to settle into the match and their only chance in the first half came through a very tame Karim Abdoul effort in the 34th minute. Gor stood resolute and withered Ingwe’s early pressure to get at half time with the deadlock intact.Gor certainly started the second half better than the first, puting keeper John Oyemba to the test as early as the 47th minute with a goal mouth scramble.Gor resorted to playing high balls and playing the ball behind the Ingwe defense hoping to capitalize on Tito Okello’s pace, but the striker was nowhere near being useful to the change in tactic, Gor losing the ball as soon as they hit it.With chances far and few in between the game headed straight to penalty shootouts to determine the winner.
