Title push slows as Gor Mahia held in Kisii

Humphrey Obina of Shabana battles for the ball with Samuel Kapen of Gor during a league game at Gusii Stadium/ ANGWENYI GICHANA 

Gor Mahia head coach Charles Akonnor cut a frustrated figure after his side surrendered top spot in the Kenyan Premier League following a dull 0-0 draw with Shabana at Gusii Stadium on Sunday.

“This was a game we should have won, especially considering what was at stake,” Akonnor said. “We had the ball, and we had territory, but football is decided in the boxes, and we were not sharp enough.”

In front of a restless Kisii crowd, K’Ogalo dominated possession but struggled for penetration. Shabana sat deep, defended their penalty area and slowed the tempo, turning the contest into a game of pressure without incision.

“We created situations, not many clear chances, but enough moments where better decisions would have changed the game,” Akonnor said. “Our final pass was rushed, and our movement was not synchronised.”

The former Ghana international also acknowledged the challenge of playing in Kisii. “Gusii is never an easy place,” he said. “The pitch, the crowd and the emotion around Shabana all play a role. You must be mentally strong to overcome that.”

Despite the setback, Akonnor played down fears of a title wobble. “The league is not won in one match,” he said. “This result hurts because we wanted to stay top, but our destiny is still in our hands.”

He also refused to single out individuals for blame. “I will not point fingers,” Akonnor said. “As a team, we win together, and we drop points together. Responsibility is collective.”

For Akonnor, the focus now shifts to improvement in the final third. “We must be more decisive, more patient and more ruthless when chances come,” he said. “That is the difference at this level.”

Shabana head coach Peter Okidi, by contrast, spoke with the calm satisfaction of a plan executed. “This point means a lot to us,” Okidi said. “Gor Mahia are a big team with quality players, and to stop them here required sacrifice and belief.”

Okidi confirmed that caution had been deliberate, not accidental. “We knew we could not go toe-to-toe with Gor Mahia for 90 minutes,” he said. “We planned to stay compact, deny them space between the lines, and frustrate them.”

He reserved particular praise for his defenders. “My back line was outstanding,” Okidi said. “They communicated well, they stayed disciplined, and they did not panic even under pressure.”

The atmosphere inside Gusii Stadium, he felt, made a decisive difference. “Our fans were our twelfth man today,” Okidi said. “When the players were tired, the crowd lifted them. That energy is priceless.”

While Shabana offered little in attack, Okidi argued that pragmatism had its place. “Of course, we wanted a goal,” he said. “But sometimes you must learn to take what the game gives you, and today it gave us a point.”

For a coach overseeing a rebuilding project, the draw carried wider meaning. “Results like this show we are on the right path,” Okidi said. “We are becoming harder to beat, more organised, and mentally stronger.”

He closed with a statement of intent rather than relief. “We respect Gor Mahia, but we don’t fear anyone,” Okidi said. “If we maintain this discipline and add a bit more quality going forward, better results will come.”

Elsewhere, Posta Rangers and Kariobangi Sharks also played out a 1-1 draw, rounding off a weekend in which defensive structure prevailed over attacking invention.