Off pitch drama derails Gor Mahia's KPL title charge
"This is a big win for us. No one gave us a chance of beating the defending champions. We played well and scored a fantastic team goal. We are all happy with our effort today, he stated.
Gor Mahia's title charge suffered an almost fatal blow on Thursday as they fell to a 1-0 loss to FC Talanta, to see their hopes of retaining their Kenya Premier League title fade slightly.
The 1-0 loss to relegation-fighting Talanta at the Dandora Stadium was met with dismay by players, fans and management alike, after a week that has been dominated by matters off the pitch.
Emmanuel Osoro scored the lone goal for Talanta four minutes to half-time to leave Gor four points behind leaders Tusker FC with the end of the season just seven games away.
Tusker have 51 points from 27 played, Kenya Police are second with 49 from 27, and Gor are third with 47 from 27.
Head coach Sinisa Mihic was forced to watch the Talanta clash from the stands following a two-game suspension accrued for misdemeanours during the 1-1 draw with Sofapaka last weekend at the same venue.
As a result, his assistant coaches and technical team were left to handle matters from the touchline.
It was a truly an ironic situation considering that Mihic had just over a week ago threatened to never work with the same technical team.
Before the Talanta clash, Mihic said that the technical bench and players had resolved their spat and that full concentration was on the upcoming clash.
Against Talanta, assistant coach Zedekiah Zico Otieno took charge of the squad with Mihic in the stands and the tension could be seen from afar as effects of their public fight took it's toll.
Otieno has not been seen at the Gor training grounds this week to add to the misery.
Second assistant Victor Nyaoro and team manager Michael Nam have also been in the wars with Mihic.
Gor were lacking in energy and purpose, and were as such punished by a Talanta side fighting for the right to remain in the league for next season. In the end, a 1-0 win was deserved.
Talanta coach Jackline Auma was also missing from action and her assistant Jackson Gacheru was ecstatic.
"This is a big win for us. No one gave us a chance of beating the defending champions. We played well and scored a fantastic team goal. We are all happy with our effort today," he stated.
Talanta now have 29 points from 27 matches and are two points above Bidco United who occupy the first relegation place.
With seven matches left, it should make for an exciting battle especially considering that bottom of the table City Stars have 24 points.
Gor coach Zico Otieno did not have a word with the media following the Talanta match.
He ignored the media advances and left without saying anything.
Gor are set to face Mara Sugar in the KPL over the weekend as they look to resurrect their title charge but it remains to be seen what action will be taken to kill off the off field wrangles.
The Gor Mahia leadership and Executive Committee has promised to meet over the matter but has yet to speak on it, with Chairperson Ambrose Rachier's phone going unanswered when reached by Radio Generation Sport.