Gor thrash AFC in Mashemeji derby

Gor Mahia registered an impressive 3-0 victory over archrivals AFC Leopards in the Mashemeji Derby at Nyayo Stadium on Sunday.Meddie Kagere and George ‘Blackberry’ Odhiambo scored in the first half with Timothy Otieno scoring his first goal since returning to Gor to put the icing on the cake in the second half.Leopards coach Stewart Hall was left frustrated with the result and said his players simply failed to rise to the occasion and they put in a below par performance.“We could not connect the ball from one blue shirt to another. I watch these players every day and they can do it; there’s a lot of talent in this team but I have watched very good players today who can’t pass the ball ten yards. We bottled the game,” a disappointed Hall said after the match.Gor’s Jose Marcelo Ferreira was more than excited to ease the pressure that was on his shoulders, especially after last weekend’s loss at the hands of Mathare United in Thika.“We played a good game today and I am proud of the boys. They did exactly what we had planned and we now have the confidence to move forward. It is tough because we have another game after two days,” Ferreira said after the game.Gor were the better team throughout the game and had shown their intention as early as the second minute. Jitters from AFC defender Salim Abdallah saw him try a square pass to Robinson Kamura and Timothy Otieno intercepted. However, Meddie Kagere could not hit the target, sliding after attempting to find space on his right foot.They made a similar error in the 17th minute, this time Kamura tried to square back a ball. The former Mathare United man lifted the ball towards Abdallah and Kagere intercepted, but he shot over.Gor were rewarded for their approach with Kagere hitting the back of the net in the 19th minute. Timothy Otieno beat Ian Otieno in the AFC goal, lifting the ball over the advancing keeper and Kagere was left with the simple task of tapping the ball into an empty net.The 15-time champions K’Ogalo continued to knock at the door and they managed to get the second in the 36th minute. Odhiambo raced on to a Kenneth Muguna pass and the winger simply dinked the ball over Ian Otieno, who had raced off his line.In the second half, Hall made changes in a bid to stem the tide, bringing off a poor Abdallah for Marcus Abwao. Despite the change, Gor still remained on top of things. Six minutes after the restart, Walusimbi had his low shot hit the upright after finding space from a short start to a corner.Gor kept their tempo up with AFC struggling to find some rhythm and Ian Otieno was forced into a full-stretch save to keep away a shot from Karim Nizigiyimana from the edge of the box.Gor drove the final nail into AFC’s coffin in the 83rd minute when Otieno reacted fastest to a Kagere flick that came off the bar and he headed the ball into the net from point-blank range.Elsewhere, Ulinzi Stars returned to winning ways with a 3-2 win over Thika United with Stephen Waruru striking a brace to take his season tally to six. In Kisumu, Zoo Kericho picked up their second top-flight win with an assured 2-0 victory over Western Stima.