Posta Rangers’ Collins Omondi shields Gor Mahia’s Ronald Omino when the two sides clashed in a SPL match on February 21, 2016 at Nyayo National Stadium.PHOTO/Raymond Makhaya
NAIROBI, February 21 – Substitute Gerson Likono snaffled a stoppage-time equaliser to send his side jointly top as new comers Posta Rangers snatched a 1-1 draw away to champions Gor Mahia in a pulsating SportPesa Premier League clash at Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday.
In Mombasa, Edwin Lavatsa and Bernard Mang’oli were on target as GOtv Shield champions Bandari whipped Kakamega Homeboyz 2-0 while Nairobi City Stars lost by a similar scoreline away to Western Stima in Kisumu.
The big clash of the day between Gor and Rangers was preceded by an early kick-off at the same venue where Mathare United beat Chemelil Sugar 1-0 thanks to Daniel Mwaura’s 25th minute goal.
Gor are yet to find their winning formula after drawing their second successive match to sit 10th on two points, something their Green Army fans are unhappy with.
K’Ogalo showed character of a champion to command the highly pace first-half that could have seen Enock Agwanda grab a brace.
Gor punished Rangers just after kick-off when Ronald Omino had a good turn from the midfield to rush on the right flank, beat two defenders and then cut in to Agwanda who took his time to pick out the far right post for the early goal.
Rangers responded five minutes later with a brilliant build up by Dennis Mukaisi who fed Moses Otieno but the latter’s shot was rescued by Gor keeper and captain Jerim Onyango who earned his second successive start in favour of first choice Boniface Oluoch.
The visitors could have found the equaliser in the 35th minute when Gor right-back Karim Nizigiyimana was dispossessed in the box by Titus Echesa who then found Otieno only to see his low shot cleared by team mate Collins Neto.
Agwanda had a chance to double the lead three minutes to the interval after Omino put him through for a one-on-one but Rangers custodian Ian Otieno stood tall to parry away the danger.
Both sides created equal chances in the second half but it was Onyango who was the busiest keeper, first denying Neto who had been gifted a back-hill by Abuoba Sibomana.
Achesa and Mukaisi missed the target from close range before Onyango produced a man of the match performance to finger tip Likono’s powerful set-piece.
Gor surged forward in search for the second with Francis Kahata setting through Jacob Keli who came on for Agwanda but the former AFC Leopards striker fluffed his only chance after shooting straight to the keeper.
The end to end action saw Mukaisi rattle the woodwork in the 80th minute and with Gor hoping to have collected maximum points, Likono drove home a ferocious shot from Sibomana’s poor clearance to salvage a point for former Gor head coach Zedekiah ‘Zico’ Otieno who is now managing Rangers.
Posta Rangers forward Gerson Likono celebrates after coring the equaliser.PHOTO/Raymond Makhaya.
