Bandari FC defeated visitors Gor Mahia 2-0 in a Kenya Premier League (KPL) match at Ukunda Show Ground on Wednesday.
Geoffrey Ojunga and Beja Nyamawi second-half goals gave ‘Dockers’ their second consecutive win against Gor Mahia. The defending champions, Gor Mahia, are now winless in their last four matches played.
The game started intensely, with Bandari being awarded a free kick in just the second minute. Geoffrey Ojunga’s powerful strike was saved by Gor’s goalkeeper, Caleb Omondi.
Eight minutes later, Austine Odhiambo took a corner, which he nearly scored directly but was denied by James Omusinde of Bandari.
In the 21st minute, Bandari’s Alfred Emoni attempted a bicycle kick only for Omondi to make another key save.
Bandari had to make an early substitution in the 23rd minute after Emoni sustained an injury, with David Sakwa taking his place.
Odhiambo had a chance to open the score for Gor Mahia in the 42nd minute with a free kick, but his shot missed the post by inches.
Ten minutes into the second half, Odhiambo set up Enock Morrison, who had a clear chance to shoot on goal but saw his effort go wide.
The match took a dramatic turn in the 64th minute when Gor’s Captain, Geoffrey Ochieng, got a straight red card after denying his opponent, Izzadin Ramadhan, a clear scoring opportunity, which resulted in a free kick.
Ojunga capitalised on the resulting free kick, slotting the ball into the far-left corner to give Bandari the lead.
The second goal of the match was scored in the 79th minute by Bandari striker Beja Nyamawi, who found the net after receiving an excellent pass from Izzadin, which he netted.
However, the match had to be halted in the 84th minute as fans invaded the pitch. It was not until security officers cleared the pitch that the game resumed 30 minutes later.
Bandari’s Coach, Ken Odhiambo, was proud of his team’s win against Gor Mahia, stating it was all due to the game plan followed.
“I am happy for this win. We executed the plan exactly as intended, allowing them to play in the first half and going all out in the second, which is why we scored both goals then,” said Odhiambo.
Odhiambo also expressed disappointment over the fan disruptions, emphasising that football should bring people together.
Meanwhile, Gor Mahia’s Coach, Leonardo Neiva, was quickly escorted from the stadium for security reasons soon after the match ended.
By Abdulrahman Shariff
