Financially motivated Gor Mahia seeks to extend Mashemeji Derby dominance
21st April 2024
The match will be played on Sunday at the Nyayo National Stadium from 3 PM.
- Gor Mahia will be hoping to complete the league double over Ingwe this season.
- Benson Omalla's brace guided them to a 0-2 win in the first leg.
- Gor will also restore their lead at the top of the table to 9 points with victory.
Defensive midfielder Ernest Wendo has never missed the Mashemeji
Derby since his arrival at Gor Mahia in 2015 from Bidco United.
The experienced midfielder, who is the most senior player at
the club, has been central to the club's massive success in the fixture in
recent years.
Wendo has witnessed Gor lose twice to their bitter rivals
AFC Leopards in the derby which brings the two traditional rivals
together.
With the two giants set to lock horns on Sunday at the Nyayo
National Stadium, Wendo is confident that Gor will wipe the floor with their
matchday opponents and preserve their excellent head-to-head record in the
fixture.
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The combative midfielder is banking on the motivation
the team received from the Cabinet Secretary of ICT Eliud Owalo, an avid
supporter of Gor and a renowned sports enthusiast, to inspire the defending
champions to a league double over Leopards.
Owalo, visited Gor at their training ground on
Thursday morning and handed the playing unit half a million shillings besides
having a motivational talk.
Wendo termed the financial package and Owalo's unwavering
support that the CS has been according the club for years as a source of
motivation to win the fixture.
"I have played in all Mashemeji derbies since joining Gor in 2015.We have ruled this fixture over the years and hopefully we will extend our dominance on Sunday.
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We have prepared well for the derby as we are facing a
completely different Leopard on Sunday. They are on form, coached well and very
organized.
We are motivated ahead of the game and in good spirits. We
hope to win it and draw closer to our 21st league title," Wendo, who
won the CECAFA Senior Challenge with the national team in 2017, told SportsBoom.
Joining Wendo in acknowledging how the financial token
will play a role in inspiring K'Ogalo to triumph over their bitter rivals was
assistant captain Geoffrey Onyango.
Just like Wendo, Onyango has never missed the derby
since joining Gor in July 2019 from the defunct Western Stima.
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Ochieng, who has been captaining Gor in the absence of
Philemon Otieno, has suffered a derby loss only once since joining the record
league champions.
Otieno will miss the match as he is nursing an injury
suffered down at the coast in an FKF Cup encounter.
The hard-tackling left back is backing K'Ogalo to shine on
Sunday owing to the solid preparations and the incentive from Owalo.
Ochieng, who was part of the Harambee Stars team that won
the Four Nations tournament in Malawi in March, also emphasized on the need to
preserve the reputation Gor has in the derby.
We are anticipating a tough match as Leopards are in form.
We have a very good record in the derby which has to be protected at all costs.
We are also the host as well. We have prepared well and the visit by CS Owalo
boosted our morale heading to the big game, “said Ochieng.
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While Ochieng and Wendo have gathered more than enough
experience in the derby, youngster Bryson Wangai will be looking to feature in
the match for the second time.
Wangai was part of the Gor squad that won the first leg 2-0
at Kasarani Stadium and will hope coach Johnathan McKinstry will field him on
Sunday.
Wangai, who joined the club last year from fifth-tier side
Bongonaya FC can't wait for his first start and goal contribution in the derby.
"I watched the first leg from the bench but I hope to play on Sunday. I am craving for playing time in the biggest fixture in the league. Being a consistent performer in the derby can open bigger doors. I wouldn't mind scoring or getting an assist on Sunday," he said.
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