NAIROBI, Kenya, November 11- Dominant Kenyan Premier League (KPL) titleholders, Gor Mahia FC won the DStvSuperSport Cup with a 2-1 win over cup holders Sofapaka on Wednesday, with a bizarre own-goal Innocent Wafula in added time the only blot in a superior display at Nairobi’s Nyayo National Stadium.
Although the margin of victory was close, Gor comprehensively swatted their rivals to belie pre-match expectations of a nail-biting contest between the top two teams from last season and the champions should have out of sight were it not for wayward finishing.
A well taken brace from the returning Victor Ali Abondo either side of the half proved to be the difference as Gor took home Sh750,000 and the trophy with the out-foxed Sofapaka bagging the Sh500,000 losers’ consolation in the curtain raiser for the 2015 campaign.
The televised contest was a victory of sorts for KPL in their ongoing tussle with Football Kenya Federation (FKF) over the management of the top flight this season with the latter making a U-turn earlier Wednesday having banned the game the evening before on the grounds they were not involved in the organisation.
But speaking at a local television station immediately after the lopsided encounter, FKF vice-president, Robert Asembo, appeared to maintain the hard-line stand saying, “We made a point of reminding organisers what the rules say and all the officials and clubs involved will receive severe sanctions.”
Abondo who made a comeback to the club he left in 2013, struck first in the 24th minute from a Khalid Aucho assist before doubling the lead from the spot in the 69th while Wafula a former Chemelil Sugar forward turned to his own net in the first minute of added time to wrap the scoring.
K’Ogalo who started with nine new signings took charge from the off with former Thika United forward Michael Olunga spurned four chances as he tore through the Sofapaka rearguard at will in the first-half .
Olunga’s most glaring miss came after a quartet an hour when he received a through ball from the midfield to beat Sofapaka keeper David Okello but was slow to execute the final touch that saw Danson Kago clear the ball on the line.
After several attempts, Gor finally broke the deadlock when Aucho intercepted a pass to find his former Tusker FC team-mate Abondo who tapped past Okello for the opener.
Gor, who overran Batoto Ba Mungu’s midfield, managing to pocket former play maker Kevin Omondi, doubled the lead when Olunga was hacked down by Okello in the box with Abondo true from 12 yards for his double.
Keeper Boniface Oluoch who started in goal for K’Ogalo in the absence of injured skipper Jerim Onyango was the busier of the keepers in the dying embers where he denied Enock Agwanda and Fiston Abdul Razak before pulling a brilliant save when he parried over Collins Shivachi’s thunderbolt.
Oluoch, a former Tusker custodian watched helplessly as the ball looped over him and landed in the net after Wafula’s miscued clearance.
The victory saw Gor win the Super Cup for the third time after lifting it in 2009 and 2013.
Both teams will be in action this weekend, representing the country at the CAF assignments, with Gor hosting Madagascar’s CNaPS on Saturday in the first-leg of the Champions League’s preliminary round while Sofapaka will welcome Zimbabwean Platinum FC in the Confederations Cup on Sunday.
The Super Cup is an annual tournament played between the KPL champion and the domestic Cup winner (GOtv Shield).