• Meanwhile, Nairobi City Stars head coach Nicholas Muyoti said Tusker FC were lucky to escape with a point in their 2-2 draw in Kenyan Premier League mid-week clash at Police Sacco stadium.
• Tusker defender Eugiene Asike said they faded off in the second half, allowing Stars back into the game. They have to continue fighting with four matches to play.
Image: HANDOUT
Gor Mahia captain Philemon Otieno said drawing 0-0 against KCB gives them the chance to clinch the title on Sunday if they beat relegation-threatened Muhoroni Youth.
“The bankers gave us a good fight, which we expected. After grabbing a point today, all we need is just three more to win our 21st title since AFC Leopards had eased our job by beating out nearest title rivals Police on Wednesday,” said Otieno.
The skipper, who was part of the team that went on an unbeaten run in 2015 — alongside Ernest Wendo — says morale is high in the team and they can’t wait for the record extending title.
Meanwhile, Nairobi City Stars head coach Nicholas Muyoti said Tusker FC were lucky to escape with a point in their 2-2 draw in Kenyan Premier League mid-week clash at Police Sacco stadium.
Muyoti believes they had a good game plan that saw them repel the brewers, who have always been tricky opponents, and they stayed calm despite going down 2-0 early in the game.
Tusker took the lead through Mike Kibwage’s 13th minute strike before Erick Kapaito doubled the advantage in the 26th minute. Muyoti says they conceded cheap goals that would have been prevented on a good day, but the first one was also circumstantial since they were a man down.
“Kibwage scores while our dependable stopper Wycliffe Omondi is receiving medical attention, having already played 10 minutes without him. This left us vulnerable and by the time the team doctor allowed him to resume play the damage was already done,” said Muyoti.
Stars had the option of substituting Omondi, who was getting stitched on the head after a collision with Tusker’s Charles Momanyi in the second minute, but Muyoti insists the defender was in their plans and would have quit only if the injury was bad.
Muyoti said the second goal was due to lapse of concentration but they never panicked and knew they would catch up if not win the game. Stars came back guns blazing after the pep talk to level matters through Samuel Kapen’s 78th minute goal and Mohammed Bajaber’s 92nd minute penalty strike.
Mohammed and fellow substitute Yuto Kusaba argued over who would take the spot kick, something Muyoti says is normal in football.
“Both players came in the second half for a tactical change and they were instrumental in neutralising Tusker, Mohammed is among our penalty takers but Japanese striker Yuto also wanted the glory, having buried one in a previous match but it is sorted,” aid the tactician.
Muyoti has shifted focus to Sunday’s clash away to relegation-threatened Nzoia Sugar. He congratulated his players for the hard-earned draw but still believes they would have snatched all the points had Kapen buried two clear chances.
Meanwhile, Tusker defender Eugiene Asike said they faded off in the second half, allowing Stars back into the game. They have to continue fighting with four matches to play.
The Kawangware-based Stars are sixth on the log with 47 points, same as Bandari and AFC Leopards, who have better goal differences, while Tusker are third, 11 points behind champions Gor Mahia, who have 64.