Gor’s Mahia arduous path to glory

Owing to a two-season Fifa transfer ban that Gor Mahia were serving when the 2022/23 Football Kenya Federation Premier League kicked-off on November 19, last year, many wrote off K’Ogalo in the title race.

World football governing body Fifa barred the freshly minted league champions from making new signings until January this year because the club owed money to former players including Ghanaian midfielder Jackson Owusu and Malian goalkeeper Adama Traore.

With coach Johnathan McKinstry forced to operate with a lean squad of 18 players, Tusker and Kenya Police emerged as favourites since they had bolstered their squads with some big names.

But K’Ogalo soldiered on with the thin squad until March 24 when Fifa lifted the ban. The Ugandan duo of Patrick Kaddu and Shafiq Kagimu, the Kenyan trio of Sylvester Owino, Bryson Wangai and Gilbert Otieno and Rwandan national Emery Basiyenge were brought on board as Gor chased an unprecedented 20th league title.

Gor achieved that huge feat on Sunday with an emphatic 4-1 win over Nairobi City Stars at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani in Nairobi.

Coach McKinstry’s men topped the standings with a massive 70 points, one above Tusker. The success was a huge relief to the Irishman, because fans demanded a lot more in spite of the embargo.

Just last Wednesday, the “Green Army” camped outside the team’s dressing room at Kasarani, demanding answers as to why the team had failed to seal the title by losing 3-2 to visitors Kakamega Homeboyz.

Having coached several teams around the world, McKinstry, 37, said he is used to pressure from fans.

“We only started talking about winning the title in the last four or five weeks,” said the former Uganda Cranes’ coach, who joined Gor on a two-year deal on July 29, last year.

Gor opted to promote junior players from its youth side during the transfer ban.

“I could not be more proud of the young boys who came through to the the seasoned campaigners such as Philemon Otieno and Ernest Wendo,” said McKinstry, who also paid tribute to the senior players led by skipper Philemon Otieno, adding that they gave their all to the team.

Striker Benson Omalla, goalkeeper Gad Mathews, attacking midfielder Austin Odhiambo and defenders Godfrey Ochieng and Dennis Nganga were instrumental in Gor’s success.

Out of the 53 goals that Gor scored, Omalla, 21, notched 26. Kenya Police’s striker Elvis Rupia scored more goals at 27 to win the Golden Boot award.

Gaming firm SportPesa entered a three-year Sh240 million sponsorship with Gor on September 23, last year . The firm pays players directly in their accounts.

Debutantes Vihiga Bullets and Mathare United were relegated to the National Super League.