NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 17 – Gor Mahia came from a goal down to pull back a point in a 1-1 draw with Nairobi City Stars in a BetKing Premier League match played at the Ruaraka Complex on Saturday afternoon.
In their first match since the departure of head coach Carlos Manuel vaz Pinto, Jules Ulimwengu drew K’Ogalo level 10 minutes after the restart, cancelling out Kevin ‘Chumsy’ Okumu’s first half wonder goal.
City Stars went to the break a goal up, but it was K’Ogalo who ended the opening half on top. They had come ever so close five minutes to the break, but City Stars keeper Steve Njung’e pulled off a brilliant save with his feet to keep away Jules Ulimwengu’s header from John Macharia’s cross.
Gor had dominated play for the last quarter of an hour with MIheso and Macharia bringing in the danger on either flank.
City Stars had broken the deadlock in the 21st minute, Okumu scoring by either design or coincidence. The fullback was sent through on the right by Elvis Noor. He looked up and sent a first time swinging shot at goal which ended up in the back post of keeper Gad Mathews’ goal.
The hosts had come close earlier on in the 13th minute when Bolton Omwenga’s well taken freekick from the edge of the area after Rodgers Okumu was fouled going inches wide.
Okumu was causing all sorts of problems for the Gor backline and was constantly fouled.
City Stars had another set piece chance on the half hour mark, this time after former Gor Mahia man Nicholas Kipkurui was hounded down at the edge of the box by Harun Shakava.
However, Peter ‘Pinchez’ Opiyo swirled his freekick over from a good scoring position.
In the 36th minute, some good play from City Stars after a spell of dominance from Gor almost bore the second goal, but Ezekiel Odera had a heavy first touch from Okumu’s low cross into the box with only Mathews to beat.
In the second half, Gor picked up with the same pace they ended the opening 45 minutes with.
It took them just 10 minutes to get themselves back into the game when Ulimwengu struck from close range. Keeper Njung’e had made a full stretched save to defny Karim Nikiema’s shot from a Macharia cross and the Burundian reacted quickest to slam the ball home.
Immediately after conceding, City Stars were jolted into a change, Rodgers Okumu and Noor coming off for Davis Agesa and Timothy Ouma.
But the contest grew even stronger with each side putting in a shift. With quarter of an hour left, City Stars launched a brilliant counter with Kevin Okumu released on the right, but the goal scorer took too much time on the ball, Philemon Otieno tracking back to block his cross for a corner.
Omwenga also came close for Simba wa Nairobi with a curling left footed freekick, but Gad Mathews had it well covered.
