Tuesday 24 February 2015

A Hatrick of Perfect Starts as Olunga, Abondo joins the Double Boys

The Kenyan Premier League finally kicked off over the weekend despite the stalemate dogging KPL and FKF over the number of teams to be in the league. Having already played two competitive games, K’ogalo began their title defense with a 4-2 victory over Mathare United courtesy of a brace each by the returning boy Ali Abondo and new signing Michael Olunga. A few years began there was talk that Gor Mahia rarely won their first league games, a jinx that was seemingly broken in 2012 with a 2-0 win over Thika. I have checked the records and can indeed confirm that between between 2003 and 2012, Gor had indeed found it difficult to win their opening games having won only once, beating Homegrown 4-2. Since 2012, the Victory against the slum boys was our 3rd consecutive opening day victory. The following are our opening day results over the last 10 years.

2005 Lost to Kangemi United 1-2
2006 Drew with Securicor 1-1
2007 Won against Homegrown 4-2
2008  Lost to KCB 0-1
2009 Lost to Ulinzi 0-1
2010 Drew with Western Stima 0-0
2011 Lost to Rangers 3-0
2012 Won against Thika 0-2
2013 Won against Sofapaka 1-0
2014 Won against City Stars 2-0
2015 Won against Mathare United 4-2

As you can see from the results over the year, this result also matched our biggest opening day victory which was way back in 2007.

Ali Abondo on the double
(Pic courtesy of http://www.gormahiafc.co.ke/)

Seeing two players net a brace each also got me checking on the last game we had two players each score two goals. Well there have not been many games we have scored more than 4 goals and one would therefore have to look beyond 2008 for two doubles in a league game. Unfortunately my records for goal scorers are not comprehensive pre-2008. However in 2013 both Dan Sserenkuma and Kevin Omondi Ade helped themselves to two apiece in the 6-0 walloping of Shabana during a FKF GOTv Shield match. Ali Abondo and Michael Olunga however joins a select club of the double boys and since 2008, bringing the number of the double boys to 9. The members of this club are

  1. Danny Sserenkuma (8)
  2. Duncan Owiti (3)
  3. Rama Salim (2)
  4. George Odhiambo Blackberry (2) 
  5. Kevin Omondi (2)
  6. Baldin Ngwa (1)
  7. Paul Kiongera (1)
  8. Ali Abondo (1)
  9. Michael Olunga (1)

      
      The following table gives a breakdown of the doubles

Date
Player
Team
21 Feb 2015
Michael Olunga
Mathare United
21 Feb 2015
Ali Abondo (2)
Mathare United
4 Oct 2014
Dan Sserenkuma (3)
City Stars
20 Sep 2014
Dan Sserenkuma (2)
Chemelil
19 July 2014
Dan Sserenkuma (2)
AFC Leopards
11 Sep 2013
Kevin Omondi (2)
Shabana
11 Sep 2013
Dan Sserenkuma (2)
Shabana
2 Mar 2013
Paul Kiongera (2)
Anse Re-union
4 Nov 2012
Dan Sserenkuma (3)
Muhoroni Youth
22 Sep, 2012
Dan Sserenkuma (2)
AFC Leopards
17 Aug, 2012
Dan Sserenkuma (2)
Mathare United
21 Jul, 2012
Dan Sserenkuma (2)
City Stars
8 Jul, 2012
Rama Salim (3)
KCB
12 may, 2012
Rama Salim (2)
KCB
17 Apr, 2011
Kevin Omondi (2)
Thika United
11 Jul, 2010
George Odhiambo (2)
Chemelil
3 Apr, 2010
Duncan Owiti (2)
Mahakama
8 Nov, 2009
Duncan Owiti (2)
KCB
27 Sep, 2009
Baldin Ngwa (2)
Red Berets
2 May, 2009
Duncan Owiti (2)
Mathare United
25 Apr, 2009
George Odhiambo (2)
Red Berets


Trivia: When was the last time K’ogalo scored more than 3 goals in a league game without a foreigner scoring?