Gor Mahia held to a 1-1 draw by Sofapaka in a Kenya Premier League clash at Dandora Stadium, Nairobi, on Saturday afternoon. The match saw Gor Mahia take a late lead, but Sofapaka managed to equalize in the dying moments, leaving the Green Army heartbroken.
The visitors, Gor Mahia, made their mark in the 68th minute when Joshua Onyango capitalized on a beautifully delivered free-kick from Austine Odhiambo. Onyango rose above the Sofapaka defenders to head the ball past goalkeeper Edward Olak, giving K’Ogalo the advantage. However, Sofapaka was not to be outdone. In the 91st minute, substitute Douglas Koech responded with a dramatic equalizer. Koech, set up by fellow substitute Edward Omondi, took full advantage of a defensive lapse to slot the ball past Gor Mahia’s keeper and secure a point for Sofapaka.
Gor Mahia started the match brightly with their talisman, Austine Odhiambo, testing Olak early on. Odhiambo’s first shot was parried away, but the visitors maintained pressure. Samuel Onyango was in a prime position to open the scoring when he found himself unmarked at the far post after a well-timed dash, but his shot went wide of the post.
Sofapaka also had their chances in the first half. Bramwel Simiyu’s effort hit the woodwork after a rebound from a shot by Rodgers Kipkemoi. The home side’s luck continued to be a mixed bag as Gor Mahia fan favorite Benson Omala thought he had given his team the lead with a towering header off Lawrence Ochieng’s cross. However, the assistant referee ruled Omala offside, denying K’Ogalo the opening goal just before halftime.
In the second half, Gor Mahia’s efforts to break the deadlock continued. Odhiambo’s free-kick from range hit the crossbar after a poor clearance attempt by Olak. Omala was involved again when he found the back of the net, but once more, he was flagged offside, much to the frustration of the travelling K’Ogalo supporters.
The game seemed to shift in favor of the visitors when Joshua Onyango’s header from an Odhiambo free-kick found the back of the net. It was a well-executed move, and the players celebrated as if they had secured the win. However, Sofapaka’s resilience would shine through in the dying minutes.
Coach Ezekiel Akwana made a crucial substitution, bringing on the skillful Edward Omondi, who danced past two Gor Mahia defenders to set up Douglas Koech. The substitute striker made no mistake, pouncing on the opportunity to score in the final seconds of the match, ensuring that the game ended 1-1.
Despite their dominant performance for large portions of the match, Gor Mahia had to settle for a draw. They now remain in third place, two points behind league leaders Police FC, who had earlier secured a 1-0 victory over Ulinzi Stars. The result is a disappointment for K’Ogalo, who were looking to close the gap on the leaders, but Sofapaka’s late equalizer meant the Green Army would have to wait another week for their chance to climb higher in the standings.
