Gor versus AFC reloaded

By Robin Toskin
Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards face off in the Kenyan Premier League's oldest Derby, each weighed down with contrasting problems on the table of coaches Zedekiah Otieno and Jan Koops.
While Gor Mahia have scored only two goals in their last five matches, gaining nine points, AFC Leopards have hit the back of the net five times but all that has yielded a paltry three points.
The statistic provides for a compelling case for both coaches to apply appropriate tactics that would payback to their adherents, but which do not put their jobs at risk.
Not that Gor’s Otieno is under threat or Leopards’ septuagenarian Koops, but that nothing is ever guaranteed for the occupants of both teams’ technical benches.

AFC Leopards players Edwin Wafula and Ken Wamunyiyi block Gor Mahia’s Christopher Wekesa when the two sides met on October 23, last year. Photo: File/Standard

Koops has unenviable task of plugging an AFC Leopards leaky defence that has conceded 19 goals so far, in a 4-5-1 formation he came up with to accommodate Ingwe’s expensive forward line of Mike Baraza, Francis Chinjili and Jimmy Bagaye.
On the other hand, Gor Mahia’s defence is the most trusted department, having conceded only nine goals so far, but their embarrassing wealth of strikers have had poor returns in front of goal.
Looked promisingWhile Congo-born Burundian Jonas Nahimana and returnee Collins Kisuya have looked promising in defence, the same cannot be said of the other.
Leopards’ Achilles Heel has been the centre-back channel.
The two first choice centre-backs Nahimana and John Amboko both started their careers at Leopards as fullbacks, but have since been moved to central roles with Edwin Wafula stepping up to the right and Kisuya to the left.
Thanks in part to the chaos in Leopards technical bench, Martin Imbalambala cannot say with certainty he has found a home in Ingwe’s den.
The youngster has shuttled between the central hole and defensive midfield, but without the relative success of the experience utility captain Nicholas Muyoti who has played the same role.
Gor Mahia, however, have no such problems in defence with Musa Mohamed, Solomon Nasio, Edwin Masika (Kandanda Award winner for May), Collins Omondi and Christopher Wekesa fitting in seamlessly.
But where things will happen is the engine room, the midfield. Gor Mahia’s Otieno will be tempted to play three hard men in the middle namely; Collins ‘Gatusso’ Okoth, Anthony Akumu and Moses Otieno Odhiambo.
Eye for passThe three are ball winners, but Otieno has an eye for the pass, but not in the proportions of Leopards’ Charles Okwemba.
Koops, however, might want to take advantage of Gor Mahia’s convoluted midfield of less mobile players by introducing Bernard Mang’oli who has scored two goals in two matches, with Baraza and Bageya all hinged on Okwemba who could play slightly in front of Muyoti.
Gor Mahia could be tempted to go for 4-3-1-2 formation especially as they lack natural wingers although both Moses Odhiambo (No 25) and Dan Makori can fit the description.
In the event of this, then Edwin Lavatsa and Makori could be used as attackers with the latter drifting in from wide left.
Odhiambo, who is establishing himself as Gor Mahia’s de facto free kick taker may then drop slightly ahead of the younger Odhiambo Otieno.
Former AFC Leopards reject Demonde Selenga could then be introduced in the second half to settle scores over the manner he was sacked by Ingwe. Striker Wycliffe Ochomo, who was signed from Congo United could also have a role to play in the second half.