Last Saturday, league leaders Gor Mahia beat Kariobangi Sharks 1-0 at the Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos to maintain their unbeaten run in the season.Coach Johnathan McKinstry set up K’Ogalo in a 1-4-2-3-1 formation in the game against Sharks that was settled by Chris Ochieng deep into stoppage time.Kevin Omondi kept his place in between the Gor sticks and at the end, was glad to have kept his fourth clean sheet in a row.Kenyan International Rooney Onyango and club captain Geoffrey Ochieng were the fullbacks with Rwandese Emery Bayisenge and Joshua Onyango starting at the heart of the defence.##NAJAVA_MECA_7796227##In midfield, Alpha Onyango partnered with Lawrence Juma in what formed a double pivot combination, with Austin Odhiambo tasked with bringing creativity.Bryson Wangai and Rwandan international Patrick Sibomana were on the wings carrying the responsibility of feeding the league’s top scorer Benson Omala.Kariobangi Sharks head coach William Muluya, looking to end Gor’s unbeaten run, set up his young guns in a 1-4-3-1-2 formation with Sebastian Wekesa starting in goal ahead of Bernard Jairo.The all-action Biko Omollo and Geoffrey ‘Lefty’ Onyango were the fullbacks. Ball playing centre back Kevin Luke Otiala partnered with Timothy Ekhavi in the middle of the defence.Biron Otieno was the single pivot, joined by Keith Imbali and Kenya under 18 international Stanley Wilson to make the midfield trio.Fortune Omoto was the attacking midfielder playing between the lines just behind Isaac Wasambo and new signing Erick Mmata.Gor went exclusively short with their goal kicks. In build-up, they alternated between a 2-4-1-3 and a 3-3-1-3 build-up shape depending on the positioning of the midfielders.At the beginning, they went with the 2-4-1-3 buildup, with both centre-backs split on either side of the goalkeeper and the full-backs high and wide making the midfield 4.Sharks pressed with their front 2 on the Gor centre backs while Fortune was on one of the Gor central defensive midfieldersWhen this happened, Gor always had one CDM free and this meant they could comfortably progress the ball thus Gor were dominant for the first 30 minutes of the game, getting out of their build-up phase and in to the progression phase calmly and in possession.To counter this, Muluya instructed one of his CMs, either to step up to one of the Gor midfielders to try and match them 2v2 and eliminate the overload.This slight change helped Sharks reduce Gor’s dominance. In what was a pure game of chess, McKinstry made his move, asking one of the CMs, mostly Lawrence Juma to drop in between the CBs, switching to the 3-3-1-3 buildup.Sharks had to decide if one of their CMS was to follow Juma deep intoGor’s defensive third and risk leaving space behind or staying back and giving Gor the liberty of comfortably building up play.This move meant that most of the time Gor Mahia were comfortable at the back making numerous passes in the build-up before a Sharks defensive action, and that explains the high number of passes they made in the game.Sharks on the hand-built-up play in a 2-2-3-1-2.While the two CBs split either side of the GK, Biron Otieno and one of the CM, mostly Stanley Wilson dropped to form a double pivot just ahead of them.Keith stayed high, being joined by the fullbacks who were tasked with offering the team width and thus were always positioned so high and wide.Fortune stayed in between the Gor Mahia lines. Gor countered this set-up by going for a 4-2-3-1 high press, with Omala pressing the CBs, Austin and one winger chasing down the two CMs with the Gor CMs pushing up to Fortune and the other free Sharks CM.This high press meant that Sharks weren’t allowed much time on the ball.However, with just Omala pressing the Sharks CBs, there was always one CB free and this was mostly Otiala who was instrumental in this build-up.Gor weren’t leaving any free players or easy passing lanes in the Sharks defensive and middle third which meant Otiala would often look to go long in to his attackers or the wide FBs.Sharks mostly lost the ball this way.In attack, Gor’s efficient build up meant they arrived in the Sharks middle third with the ball.However, they weren’t allowed space in the middle of the pitch due to Sharks having more players centrally.Gor looked to get the ball to their wingers out wide who looked to play crosses into the box.Gor CAM Austin was starved of the ball for much of the game due to the crowding and inability to have nice passing lanes into him.This forced him to always drop back into his own half in order to get involved Sharks on their side, while they had most of their players positioned centrally, Gor’s high press always forced them to go long.The only out-ball available was a pass to the FBs. This wasn’t getting them closer to the goal as fast as they wished.FKFPL Week 18 review: Gor Mahia unstoppable, Tusker comes to party as City Stars keep the chaseGor Mahia also kept a high line and this reduced the space that they could operate in meaning the small combinations and short passes that they are known for required much more sharpness.In what was more of a chess game, both teams looked to cancel each other out and this meant they weren’t many clear-cut chances in the match.Gor’s late winner was scored in the dying minutes of the game following a freekick that was taken quickly.Chris Ochieng comfortably received the ball, cut inside and unleashed a perfect shot from with his left foot to gift K’ogalo the three points and earn them their 11th win of the season.
