Defending Kenyan champions Gor Mahia were forced to come from behind against Nairobi City Stars as the two teams played to a 1-1 draw in a league staged at Ruaraka Grounds on Saturday afternoon.Kevin ‘Chumsy’ Okumu gave City Stars the lead in the first half but Gor Mahia’s top scorer, Jules Ulimwengu, erased the deficit as he helped his side grab a point in the match.The draw ensured that City Stars are yet to taste victory over Gor since 2011 and head coach Sanjin Alagic was left frustrated with his team’s failure to capitalize on a limping Gor.”It was a frustrating match for us to be honest because we had a lot more opportunities to find a second goal that would have helped us win the match. On that front it was disappointing but overally I am proud of the performance they put in the game and I can be happy with a point against Gor,” Sanjin said.Head coach Sammy ‘Pamzo’ Omollo, leading his first official game at the club, was left contented with the results of the game considering the circumstances that have surrounded the club in the past one week.”I cannot complain with the result of the game bearing in mind that we had to come back from behind to earn a point in the game. We had a lot of changes in the squad and that really affected the team’s cohesion. But I am pleased with the game,” Pamzo said.Coming into the match, it is Gor that had the first shout on goal in the opening ten minutes, Clifton Miheso testing the palms of goalkeeper Steve Njunge with an attempt in the 9th minute. His feeble attempt from outside the area, although on target, didn’t cause any trouble as the keeper smothered easily. Ten minutes later, Karim Abdoul – the scorer of Gor’s 1-0 victory in the first leg – latched on a nicely cut back cross in the area but his first time shot flew wide off target and over the bar.Against the run of play, and with some stroke of luck, a City Stars that had not made any attempt in the game so far managed to find the opening goal just a quarter way into the match. From the right hand side, Kevin ‘Chumsy’ Okoth’s cross cum shot managed to deceive Gad Mathews in the Gor goal as it sneaked into the underside of the bar to give City the lead.Forced to chase the game, Gor resorted to slow but sure build up play in the game. A resolute City Stars was however not letting in their resolve to thwart any danger, limiting Gor to any clear chances.In a rare breach of the City defense, Jules Ulimwengu came agonizingly close to restoring parity in the game. His pin point header on goal was however just saved by Njunge who was at the right place at the right time to keep out the clearest chance of the game for Gor and help his side keep the narrow advantage going into the half time break.An inspired Gor came out charging in the second half and just nine minutes into the second half, their efforts bore fruits as Ulimwengu was in the right place as he tapped in Njunge’s spilled save from an Abdoul shot. The goal changed the game on its head as Gor clearly handed the ascendancy in the game, heaping pressure as they sought a second goal.Chances in the game were however far and few in between, with both sides struggling to find the telling touch in front of goal. In the end the game ending all square between the two sides.
