Gor Mahia interim coach Zedekiah ‘Zico’ Otieno - Photo Courtesy Gor Mahia Media.
Gor Mahia interim coach Zedekiah ‘Zico’ Otieno has admitted that FC Talanta are the only side to have given his side a tough game in the FKF Premier League this season.
The record Kenyan champions continued with their resurgence in the top-flight following a hard-fought 3-2 win against Talanta on Wednesday. Since firing coach Leonardo Martins Neiva, K’Ogalo have now won three matches in a row. Against Talanta they took the lead in the 15th minute courtesy of Sylvester Onyango.
However, the hard-fighting Talanta pulled a goal back in the 22nd minute when Emmanuel Osoro found the back of the net from close. Austin Odhiambo put K’Ogalo ahead for the second time in the game in the 36th minute after finishing off a cross from Onyango.
K’Ogalo under Zedekiah ‘Zico’ Otieno ensured they went into the half-time break with 2-1 lead and in the 46th minute of the second half, Chris Ochieng made it 3-1.
Bernard Odhiambo then reduced the deficit for Talanta in the 68th minute and though they pushed for an equalisier, Gor Mahia stayed calm to see off the remaining minutes to snatch the win.
“It was a tough match, it was a tough match and I think this is the toughest match we have played so far this season but looking at the dynamics, we had travelled over 1000 kilomtres so definitely it was going to be very difficult for us,” Otieno told Pan-Africa Football.
“The type of the game they resorted in the second half really disorganised our team. We didn’t underrate them it was just a moment in the game and we gave away easy goals, we lost concentration and they took advantage of that.
“Look at the penalty (we gave away) a very easy one, very easy penalty but again it was a penalty and I am not complaining.”
On his substitutions during the game, Otieno said: “Omija was injured so I had to pull him out even in our last game against Mara United he had to come out, we thought he was ready but later on we saw that he was not quite well and we had to remove him.
“The tactical ones were for Musa and Bryson. But again today, Bryson didn’t come out well, he came in but didn’t do a good job but that is football but all in all the boys deserve a pat in their back, it was tough for them it was not going to be easy.”
Gor Mahia jumped to fourth on the 18-team league table with 17 points from nine matches while Talanta dropped to 17th with 10 points from 10 matches.
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