GOR MAHIA’S GLORIOUS SEASON!

It was billed as the title decider! The most important game for the front-runners for the 2013 Kenya Premier League, Gor Mahia and Sofapaka. The match that was to decide if the green army won their first title in 18 years, or whether Sofapaka, popular as Batoto Ba Mungu clinched their second title since their promotion to the Kenyan top-flight soccer in 2009.

After a grueling 90 minutes at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, Ugandan hitman, Dan Sserunkuma earned Gor Mahia a 1-0 victory over a wasteful Sofapaka side. This is the goal that effectively ended K’Ogallo’s 18-year old wait for the league crown. It also ensured that the green army faithful earned the bragging rights over ther arch-rivals, AFC Leopards.

Last season’s painful memories of a last-day title loss to Tusker Fc, had been the nightmare to every green army follower. The agonizing day at Nairobi’s City Stadium, when Thika United denied Gor Mahia the premiership crown that every fan believed that it was theirs to lose. However, as many K’Ogallo fans decried, the football gods had conspired with fate to deny Gor Mahia football’s bragging rights.

With three matches to go, Gor Mahia has all but sealed the 2013 premiership title, leaving their mashemejis, AFC Leopards and Sofapaka to fight for the second spot. Even sweeter is that, Gor Mahia will fly Kenya’s flag in next year’s CAF Champions League; the sweet taste of Africa’s premier club competition! The ever optimistic K’Ogallo fans are crossing their fingers and hoping that this will be another 1989 when, a Peter Daw’o led-Gor Mahia, won the Mandela Cup and etched their name into the continent’s history books; the first club from East and Central Africa to win a continental title. However, this is all history and Gor Mahia has a chance to lock horn with the likes of Al Ahly, Orlando Pirates and Esperance, among other giants of African club football.

As a football loving nation, we hope that the current Gor Mahia side, that has been the most consistent for the past three seasons will give us something to smile about, when club continental soccer kicks off next year.