After 13 league matches, Gor Mahia and Kariobangi Sharks settled for their first ever league draw following a barren stalemate staged at the Thika County Stadium on Sunday 1 May.Not even the Labour Day celebration could inspire both sides to get a win as they played out to an uninspiring game that saw little clear cut chances.K’Ogalo head coach Andreas Spier intimated that he would have wished for his side to collect maximum points but was delighted to see his side play high tempo football.”It’s not what we wished for from this match, we played a good game and it was a hotly contested game with a high tempo, I’m happy with speed at which we played today,” said Spier.His counterpart William Muluya admitted that both sides deserved a point and was impressed with his goalkeeper John Otieno but bemoaned the injury to the league’s top scorer Felix Oluoch.”The result was fair to both sides but besides the game being played well we did not concede which was down to a good job from my goalkeeper but one thing I did not enjoy from the match is that I had my top scorer injured,” said Muluya.K’Ogalo arrived into the clash with a spring in their step after edging KCB FC 1-0, a result that barely kept their faint hopes of mounting a late title charge alive with Kakamega Homeboyz faltering at the summit of the log.William Muluya’s charges on the other hand picked up form at the right stage of the season as they possessed a five game unbeaten run having beaten KCB, Bidco United and Posta Rangers in their purple patch.The game was off to a frenetic start with George Odhiambo turning Alphonse Omija inside out and leaving him on his bottoms but his shot was blocked by Tom Teka but was handed a second bite at the cherry was saved by John Otieno in goal.Sharks were dealt a major blow when they were forced into an early substitution when the league’s top scorer Felix Oluoch was stretchered out clutching his ankle as he looked to have aggravated his initial injury as Steve Otieno came in his place.The chances dried up in the opening half but K’Ogalo could have gone into the half leading when John Otieno handled the ball outside his box but was only shown a yellow card with Austin Ochieng’s resultant freekick failing to beat the wall who stood tall as both teams went into the half time break locked in a barren draw.K’Ogalo had a mirror start to the second half as they were quickly off the blocks with Benson Omala laying off the ball to Austin Ochieng whose tame effort sailed wide off the mark, five minutes after the restart.Sharks came close in the 65th minute when Erick Mata got the better of Philemon Otieno and drove into the box put his curling shot was palmed away by Gad Mathews as Ochuoga hooked the ball away to safety.Peter Lwasa who had just been introduced as a substitute almost pulled a rabbit out if the hat when his genius freekick to the near post almost caught Otieno out in goal but the keeper recovered to punch the ball out.Both sides could hiwger not find each other’s back of the net as they settled for a barren draw.Gor Mahia XI: Gad Mathews, Geoffrey Ochieng, Dennis Ng’ang’a, Philemon Otieno, Joshua Ochuoga, Ernest Wendo, Austin Ochieng (Lwasa Peter 60′), Alpha Onyango, Boniface Omondi (John Macharia 60′), Benson Omalla (Sando Yangayay 78′), George Odhiambo (Sammy Onyango 60′).Subs: Caleb Otieno, Paul, Peter Oudu, John Ochieng’, Jules Ulimwengu.Sharks XI: John Otieno, Boniface Onyango, Tom Teka, Alphonse Omija, Fredrick Alushula, Geoffrey Onyango (Isaac Wasambo 70′), Patilah Omoto, Douglas Mokaya (Ken Kyalo 70′), Fortune Omoto (John Omondi 80′), Felix Oluoch (Steve Otieno 21′), Erick Mata.Subs: Brandon Obiero, Issa Lumumba, Ziyadi Kiwanuka, Keith Imbali, Reagan Odede.
