Gor Mahia cruise past Mathare as referee mystery halts Shabana vs Posta Rangers clash
By Rama Mohammed |
Gor Mahia showcased their title credentials with a dominant 4-0 victory over Mathare United, marking their return to league action after a CAF Champions League exit. However, the FKF Premier League was overshadowed by controversy as the Shabana vs Posta Rangers match was called off due to the mysterious disappearance of referees just before kick-off, prompting an ongoing investigation by the Football Kenya Federation.
Kenyan Premier League defending champions Gor Mahia continued their strong start to the season with a commanding 4-0 victory over Mathare United at the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos. Having missed the opening three rounds due to their involvement in the CAF Champions League, K'Ogalo returned with a point to prove, showing little sign of the fatigue from their 6-0 aggregate defeat to Al Ahly.
From the start, Gor Mahia imposed themselves on the game, pinning Mathare United in their own half. The Slum Boys managed to hold on for most of the first half, but the breakthrough came in the 45th minute when reigning league MVP Austin Odhiambo slotted home to give Gor a deserved lead.
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Just five minutes into the second half, Mathare’s hopes of a comeback were dealt a severe blow after they conceded an unfortunate own goal, leaving them 2-0 down. Gor Mahia’s assistant captain Geoffrey Ochieng then added a third in the 76th minute, all but sealing the result. Late on, Congolese forward Gedeon Bendeka added a fourth to cap off an impressive day for the defending champions. Bendeka's goal was his first for the club since joining from Rwandese side Etincelles FC.
Mathare United's search for a first win of the season continues. Their campaign began with a 4-0 loss to AFC Leopards, followed by a goalless draw with Kakamega Homeboyz and a 1-1 stalemate with Sofapaka. With two draws and two defeats, Mathare will need to regroup quickly if they hope to turn their fortunes around.
Elsewhere, Sofapaka suffered a 1-0 defeat to Bandari, and Bidco United drew 1-1 with Talanta in another tightly contested match. However, the fixture between Shabana and Posta Rangers at Gusii Stadium took a bizarre turn as it was called off due to the sudden disappearance of match officials shortly before kick-off.
The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) released a statement confirming the strange events, revealing that the referees were present for the pre-match briefing but vanished before the game could start. The FKF assured fans, players, and officials that they are conducting a thorough investigation and are working to resolve the matter. Should replacement officials not be found promptly, the match may have to be rescheduled to ensure the integrity of the competition is upheld.
Despite the disruption, the FKF reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining high standards of officiating in the league and assured the football community that updates would be provided as the situation unfolds.
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