Old boy Clifton Miheso denied record Kenyan champions the sweeet feeling of tasting victory that they had started getting accustomed to this season as he equalized for his new Kenya Police side to force a 1-1 draw between the two sides in an early Saturday kick off match played at Kasarani main Stadium.While Gor thought that the one goal given to them by Boniface Omondi would have been enough to carry them to a fifth victory of the season, Miheso struck very much against the run of play to force Gor to their second draw of the season that felt very much like a loss.The game however got off to a very sluggish start in the scorching 1PM sun. By the time the centre referee was calling for the first half water break on the 23rd minute, neither of the two sides had fashioned any real and threatening chance in the game.But upon the game’s restart from the mini-break, there was some little injection of pace from K’Ogalo who controlled the clash in terms of possession. Still, there was no real threat in front of goal for all their bossing of proceedings.With fan numbers slightly improved, the first real chance of the game came in the 37th minute and it fell to Peter Lwasa. From a throw in taken by Fred Nkata, the returning George ‘Blackberry’ Odhiambo beat and took out two Police markers with a deft flick into Lwasa’s path, setting him up one on one on goal.However, with no pressure whatsoever, the new signing badly miscued his effort as his shot went very wide off target much to the amazement of everyone, Police breathing a huge sigh of relief after being let off the hook.As if in retaliation, Police quickly sprung foward on the counter with Gor camped deep into their half and were it not for the assured double intervention of Malian goalkeeper Adama Keita, the nineteen time Kenyan champions would have trailed very much against the run of play.First, Elvin Mageni unleashed a low drive from the right that was sneaking into the bottom corner but safe hands from Keita kept out the ball. In quick succession, Police recycled the ball to the left side where it fell to old boy Clifton Miheso. On his lethal left foot, the winger unleashed a curved ball but again there was no beating the goalkeeper as he dived to punch clear the effort and take the pressure off K’Ogalo.A flurry of chances emerged once again just before the break but no side had the conviction to convert any, the game getting to the half time break with the deadlock intact.At the start of the second half, Gor introduced creative midfielder Austin Odhiambo in place of the defensive minded Alpha Onyango. Immediately, that substitution showed glimpses of why it was made as the former AFC Leopards player drove Gor foward with his penetrating passes.Just eight minutes into the second half, his involvement led to the opening goal as Blackberry dropped in a brilliant cross into the area that only needed Boniface Omondi to redirect into the back of the net, which he did after the Police goalkeeper Bonphas Munyasa costly failed to contest for the ball, leaving the net empty for Omondi who wheeled off in celebration.That lead however proved to be short lived as just eight minutes later, Miheso would be responsible for inflicting pain to his old employees as he restored parity in the game very much against the run of play.From a free kick outside the box, the new Police signing just managed to squeeze his ball past Keita with one of those free kicks that deceive the goalkeeper with the whole host of movement in front of him where the keeper normally anticipates a touch that is never forthcoming.Austin then had the game’s gloriest chace to drive Gor back ahead when Munyasa had spilled a shot into his path but with a free net, the midfielder did too much in trying to find the perfect goal instead of just tapping it in. His ridiculous decision allowing Police to recover and clear the danger very much to the frustration and bewilderment of everyone in equal measure.The next close chance fell to Police who hit on the counter after Frank Odhiambo was displaced in the middle of the park, leaving Gor exposed with only two people at the back. Makwatta, one on one with the goalkeeper however failed to steal the lead for his side as his ball rolled agonizingly past the open net and out of play, reprieve for Frank who had made the error.
