The Story of Sipping Tusker - Gor Mahia vs Tusker FC

History

Ever since Tusker FC established themselves as a top flight team in 1970 (then known as Kenya Breweries), their ambition was always to establish themselves as the top footballing team in Kenya. Their ambition was evident as they raided Abaluhya (now AFC Leopards) of some of their top players such as Charles Makunda and Livingstone Madegwa as well as snatching the likes of Peter Odera and Elly Adero from Gor Mahia. The media quickly began talking about the Big 3 to refer to them together with Gor Mahia and Abaluhya, albeit the fact that they were yet to win any game notwithstanding.  Since then, football matches between Tusker and Gor Mahia have been tightly contested and this tie is probably the second biggest tie in the country after Gor Mahia vs AFC Leopards – at least it was so in the 70s, 80s and 90s. Today, ahead of the Top 8 tie between Gor Mahia and Tusker,  I want to reflect on the history of the this tie and look at some of the significant numbers. Although I have records dating back to the first competitive tie between the two teams in 1970, I do not take into account the period between 2004 to 2006 when the league was marred in chaos. Hopefully I will be able to get the records straight for this period.

The first competitive match between the two took place on 2^nd May 1970 in a Nairobi Provincial League encounter which ended in a 1-1 draw. Sadly I don’t have on record who scored on this day. Both teams would later qualify for the National League playoff and would meet again in the first leg with the Brewers beating Gor Mahia 3-1, the lone K’Ogalo goal being netted by Fred Siranga. As the government dissolved the FA that year, the league was thrown in chaos and would only resume in early 1971. After Abaluhya were declared champions once they had an insurmountable lead, it seems as if teams were no longer interested in the league and I cannot find records of the return leg.

The next time these two met would be in early 1972, again in the Nairobi Provincial League. This game was to be remembered as the game that has probably produced the fasted goal in Kenyan football. Straight from kick off, William Ouma Chege noticing that the Breweries keeper was yet to settle and still struggling with his gloves, shot straight at goal from the center spot. Both Daily Nation and Standard newspapers reported the goal as having been scored within 5 seconds of the referee kicking off the game. That goal settled the game and both clubs would qualify for the National League playoffs where Breweries exacted their revenge by eliminating Gor Mahia in the semi-finals, 2-0.

William "Chege" Ouma, fastest goal in Kenyan football?

The next few years saw Gor Mahia dominate the Brewers, winning the next 6 games in a row between 1973 and 1975, a run that included a Peter Ouma and John Chore inspired hattricks as Gor thumped them 3-2 twice in 1973, as well as a 4-1 thumping in the same year that was to be their biggest win against the Brewers in the 70s.

The 80s saw the Brewers determined to shackle Gor Mahia and they began the decade by holding Gor Mahia to a 1-1 draw and then thumping K’Ogalo 5-1 in the second leg of the 1980 season. This is the Brewers biggest win ever over Gor Mahia. Gor Mahia exacted revenge the following year by beating the Brewers 4-1 though they would later suffer three consecutive defeats between  1982 and 1983.

Players and Goals

Some of the top Gor Mahia players have always struggled in this fixture and one would be surprised to learn that leading all time scorers Hesbon Omollo and Allan Thigo only scored once in competitive fixtures against Tusker (though Omollo’s goal was massive in taking Gor Mahia to the 1986 Moi Golden Cup final). Other leading scorers Sammy Onyango “Jogoo” , Peter Dawo and Danny Sserunkuma only found the back of the net  twice but not to be deterred was John Chore “piki piki” who scored 7 times against the Brewers including being one of two Gor Mahia players to register a hattrick against Tusker in competitive games. Other players who have found joy in this fixture include George Onyango “Fundi”, Michael Olunga, Patrick Oyiengo and Allan Odhiambo.  The following list illustrate Gor Mahia’s all time leading scorers against Tusker.

Player	Goals
John Chore	7
George Onyango “Fundi” Abbey Nassur Peter Ouma Michael Olunga Allan Odhiambo Patrick Oyiengo	3

Before Olunga scored a double last year in the Top 8 semi finals, one had to go all the way back to 1995 to find the last time a K’Ogalo player scored a double against Tusker, Pius Wamaya scoring twice in a 4-0 rout in the league. Even more rare is a hattrick where you have to go way back to 1973 when John Chore was still banging in the goals! The following players have scored Hattricks or doubles against Tusker.

Player	Date	# of goals / Result	Competition
Peter Ouma	Oct 1973	3 (3-2)	Nairobi Provincial League
Phillip Gaetano	04 Nov 1973	2 (4-1)	Premier League
John Chore	14 Nov 1973	3 (3-2)	Premier League
Sammy Owino "Kempes"	01 March 1981	2 (4-1)	Premier League
Michael Adede	26 Oct 1983	2 (3-4)	Premier League
Allan Odhiambo	06 Nov 1991	2 (2-1)	Premier League
Pius Wamaya	13 May 1995	2 (4-0)	Premier League
Michael Olunga	04 Nov 2015	2 (2-1)	Top 8

Will there be a hattrick or doubles hero this year?

Pius Wamaya, one of the few Gor Mahia players to score more than once against Tusker