•A visibly dejected Leopards gaffer Patrick Aussems said they would shift their focus to their remaining league encounters.
•His counterpart German Andreas Spier said he was elated with the outcome, adding that the fans made it happen for them.
A grave juvenile howler by AFC Leopards custodian Levis Opiyo gifted Gor Mahia an easy goal on the hour mark as Ingwe's winless streak in the regulation time of the 'Mashemeji Derby' stretched to the fifth year.
This, even as Gor Mahia surmounted a tough challenge to bag a whopping Sh1 million prize money in the scintillating Madaraka Day encounter staged in front of a huge crowd who had gained free entry at Nyayo Stadium onWednesday.
The felines looked destined to halt K'Ogalo's dominance since 2016 after Collins Shivachi rose high to head in Washington Munene's cross from a free-kick, effectively breaking the deadlock on the half-hour mark.
However, after pulling off daring saves to deny Gor some glaring opportunities in the action-packed thriller, Opiyo turned from hero to villain after second-half substitute Sando Yangayay dispossessed him as he fumbled with the ball in his area.
Sando then floundered his effort at goal before Austin Odhiambo netted on the second bite of the cherry to light up the stands after a flurry of missed chances.
A visibly dejected Leopards gaffer Patrick Aussems said they would shift their focus to their remaining league encounters.
“We had an opportunity to carry the day but we let it slip through our fingers because of unnecessary mistakes. Anyway, we generally put up a good performance,” Aussems said.
“We want to finish in the top-three. We need to keep 80 to 85 percent of the current squad and sign few players. If the management does that then we'll be ready to charge for the title next season,” Aussems added.
His counterpart German Andreas Spier said he was elated with the outcome, adding that the fans made it happen for them.
“I'm very happy to see the fans back into the stadium. For every football player it's always a pleasure to play in front of a huge crowd,” Spier said.
“It was a brilliant day for us, a good feeling to have beaten such a tough opposition.”
Leopards made their intentions clear right from kick off when Nigerian Ojo Olaniyi scooped his effort wide, barely three minutes into action with goalkeeper Gad Mathews already out of position.
In an end-to-end game, K'Ogalo responded when teen sensation Julius Ochuogo picked Benson Omala with a scintillating cross but the speed of the pass was too much for him.
Gor earned a free-kick on the edge of the box moments later but George Odhiambo's effort bounced off the solid Leopards' wall.
The teams had to be given an additional penalty each after they both converted their initial five spot-kicks.
Tedia Esilaba, Washington Munene, Victor Omune, Josphat Lopaga, and John Makwatta were on target for Leopards while Philemon Otieno, Samuel Onyango, Benson Omala, Denis Ng'ang'a, John Macharia and Austin Odhiambo scored for Gor.
It was a heartwrenching experience for Leopards thereafter after skipper Peter Thiong'o scooped his effort wide before Austin Odhiambo sealed Gor's victory in the 95th edition of the fiercely contested derby.