The Green Army Set to Soldier On Against the Soldiers

This Sunday K’ogalo and its faithful followers The Green Army, make the 200 kilometers road trip to the agri-industrial town of Nakuru to face their only title challengers, Ulinzi Stars. By the end of 90 minutes they might be making the return trip having been confirmed the 2015 league champions. Indeed a win or draw will see them confirmed champions while a win for Ulinzi will see them retain a slim mathematical chance of upsetting the defending champions to the finish line. Gor Mahia has a 12 point lead over Ulinzi with a game in hand and so it will take something special, Gor Mahia losing all their remaining matches with Ulinzi winning all of theirs, for anyone to entertain the thought of Gor bottling it. Everyone knows it will take a miracle for that to happen.

With the championship more or less secured, what incentive is there for the Green Army? For K’ogalo the ambition is now to finish the league unbeaten and with Tusker wobbling, Sofapaka weakened and having dispatched off Bandari the last time out in Mombasa, Ulinzi Stars remain the only side perceived as a threat to this unbeaten run. Indeed over the last couple of years, actually since the title run-in in 2010, there has been no love lost between the soldiers and the green army.  For the players and the technical bench, it is an opportunity to etch their names alongside the great Gor Mahia teams of the mid 80s – something that older fans will however have reservations about.  And having already hit the 20 goals margin for Gor Mahia this season (15 in the league and 5 in CECAFA), Michael Olunga will be itching to not only challenge for the golden boot but stake his claim to be among the best strikers the club has seen – again, something that older fans will have reservations about.

Encounters between the two sides have been tense and often physical affairs, with very few goals flying in. There have only been 19 goals in 15 league games between the two sides since 2008, with Gor netting 12 of those. Only Tusker and Sofapaka have prevented K’Ogalo from scoring more in the league (teams that have played more than 10 games) in this period.  You have to go back to 23 August 2009 to witness the last time any of these teams scored more than 2 goals against each in any competition,  a George Odhiambo “Blackberry”  double inspiring Gor to a 4-2 win at Afraha.  Last season Rama Salim and David Owino ensured that Gor won this fixture 2-1 so it is a ground that they are comfortable on, having already scored 4 past Chemelil Sugar FC at the beginning of this second leg. During this time Gor has won 40% of their league matches against Ulinzi (6 games) and lost 4 with 5 others ending in draws. Also no team has done a double over the other in a season in this period, a status Gor will be keen to see changed and one that Ulinzi will want to preserve.

So even as Gor marches to its third league trophy in succession (a feat only managed by Ulinzi in modern times since the indomitable AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia teams of the 80s), there will be all to play for and Afraha will be a battle ground come Sunday.

Meddie Kagere and Michael Olunga destroyed the soldiers in the first leg fixture (photo courtesy of Official Gor Mahia)

K’Ogalo To Rob Bankers - They Always Do

K’Ogalo resumes league duties this Sunday against KCB after a successful CECAFA Cup outing. Six points ahead of second placed Ulinzi and with 3 games in hand, Gor Mahia are perfectly placed for a third successive league title, their first 3 successive league titles since the 1983-85 seasons and 15^th overall. The only other teams to have achieved this feat are AFC Leopards (1980-82) and Ulinzi Stars (2003-05). Before celebrating that feat however, we have to dispose what is before us and that’s KCB.

Games against KCB have always been an interesting affair with plenty of goals though last season they did hold Gor to a 0-0 draw but one can argue Frank Nuttal was just getting used to the team. Since 2008, we have played KCB 15 times winning 8 and only losing 4. Three of those losses were in 2008, 2009 and 2010 and the fourth loss was after securing the title in 2013. In the process Gor Mahia has scored 22 goals but also conceded 16 – this points to a possibly a high scoring game this Sunday. Below is  a table on our record against KCB since 2008.

Games	Wins	Draws	Loss	GF	GA	G Diff	Points	Av Pt/G %	% wins
15	8	3	4	22	16	6	27	1.8	53.3

Check out detailed stats against KCB HERE

This season Meddie Kagere has already scored twice but it is worth noting that Rama Salim scored an incredible 7 times against KCB in 3 seasons (two of which he only played for half the season) that included a hatrick and double. Gor Mahia defenders have also always found the back of the net against KCB with a remarkable 6 defenders (including goalkeeper George Odhiambo) finding the back of the net out of the 14 players that have scored against KCB since 2008.

He was the scourge of KCB

Prediction: 3-1 to Gor Mahia with one of its strikers to bag a double

Interesting Fact: Should Olunga score a hatrick he will become the second player after Danny Sserunkuma to score 20 goals (in all competitions) in a season for Gor Mahia since 2008. So far he has scored 12 league goals and 5 in CECAFA Cup for a total of 17 goals. 

Photo courtesy of Supersport.com

Danny The Legend – Saying Good Bye

When Danny Sserenkuma was signed by coach Logarusic during the mid season transfer period in 2012, many would have imagined him becoming a cult hero among the K’ogalo faithful. 45 goals later (36 in the league and 9 in the Cups) in two and a half seasons, interrupted by two trial leaves in Europe, Danny leaves Gor Mahia having established himself in every K’ogalo faithful’s heart. His closest challenger in goal scoring exploits for the club in the last six years is Rama Salim (with whom he formed a potent duo in the second half of 2012) with only 26 goals – 19 behind Danny, this just underlines how his importance for Sirkal has been.

The following is a breakdown of Danny’s goals compared to other K’ogalo marksmen from 2008.

Top 5 goal scorers overall:

1. Danny Sserunkuma – 45
2. Rama Salim – 26
3. George Odhiambo – 18
4. Kevin Omondi – 18
5. Edwin Lavatsa – 14

Top 5 goal scorers League:

1. Danny Sserunkuma – 36
2. Rama Salim – 21
3. George Odhiambo – 18
4.  Kevin Omondi – 13
5. Baldin Ngwa – 10

Top 5 goal scorers Cups:

1. Danny Sserunkuma – 9
2. Edwin Lavatsa – 8
3. Rama Salim – 5
4. Kevin Omondi – 5
5. Moses Odhiambo – 5

So just how did Danny distribute his 45 goals among clubs? 16 clubs were able to face Danny’s wrath with our old enemy Ingwe being specifically targeted. Together with City Stars, they leaked the most number of goals against Danny. Ingwe conceded two doubles against Sserunkuma and he made sure each year they tasted his goals. City Stars on the other hand conceded one hatrick and one double from Danny. The other clubs that he specifically targeted for punishment were Muhoroni Youth, Mathare United, Thika and Western Stima.

The following is a list of all the teams he scored against and the goals they conceded.

1.  AFC Leopards – 6
2. City Stars – 6
3. Mathare – 5
4. Muhoroni – 5
5. Thika – 4
6. Western Stima – 4
7. Chemelil – 3
8. Tusker – 2
9. Sofapaka – 2
10. Shabana – 2
11. Karuturi – 1
12. Sony – 1
13. KRA – 1
14. US Bitam (Gabon) – 1
15. Esperance (Tunisia) – 1
16. KCCA (Uganda) – 1

During his two and half season’s at Gor Mahia, Danny banged in 2 hatricks and 7 doubles against the following teams.

Hatricks:

1.  Muhoroni Youth, league, 2012
2. City Stars, league, 2014

Doubles

1. AFC Leopards, KPL, 2012
2. AFC Leopards,KPL, 2014
3. Chemelil, KPL, 2014
4. Shabana, FKF Cup, 2013
5. Western Stima, FKF Cup, 2013
6. Mathare, KPL, 2012
7. City Stars, KPL, 2012

Of Danny’s goals, my favourite moments includes the double against Ingwe in 2012 when we managed to overtake them in the league, the goal against Sofapaka that clinched us the title in 2013 and the breakaway goal that downed Ingwe in 2013 when the game looked like it might run away from us. Which are your favourite Danny goals?

Photo from Official Gor Mahia Website

The Boys With The Golden Boots

Over the last one month, our boy Danny Sserunkuma has scored four goals, one in the league and three in the FKF cup to establish himself as one of Kógalo's premier predator in the new KPL era. And it is no surprise that his single league goal was the customary one against the old enemy, AFC Leopards. Last year Dani gave us all his 12 goals in the league but this season he has shared his 7 goals around, 4 in the league and 3 in the FKF Cup, now known as GoTV Shield. Since joining Gor last season, Dani has banged in 19 goals, making him the second highest scorer for K'ogalo in the KPL era, just one goal shy off Rama Salim. He is also joint second highest scorer for K'ogalo in the league tied in with George Odhiambo "Blackberry" on 16 goals, again 1 shy off Rama Salim who scored 17 before his departure to the Middle East.

Scoring against Leopards has become a ritual for Danny Sserunkuma

Another player that has reached a landmark this season is Kevin Omondi whose 7 goals for K'ogalo this season makes him joint top scorer with Danny. Ade has scored 4 goals in the league, 2 in the GoTV Shield and 1 in the CAF Confederation Cup, his richest vein of form for K'ogalo. This has brought his total goals for K'ogalo to 17 with 12 of those coming in the league, 4 in domestic cup and 1 in the CAF Confederations Cup.

If these two players continue like this, they will both be getting their 20th goals for K'ogalo.

Below is the list of K'ogalo sharp shooters over the last few years.

KPL League

1. Rama Salim - 17
2. George Odhiambo "Blackberry" - 16
3. Danny Sserunkuma - 16
4. Kevin Omondi - 12
5. Baldin Ngwa - 10

All Competitions

1. Rama Salim - 20
2. Danny Sserunkuma - 19
3. Kevin Omondi - 17
4. George Odhiambo "Blackberry"- 16
5. Edwin Lavatsa - 12

All Hail King Rama!

Last Sunday K'ogalo swept aside Western Stima to open a four point gap at the top of the table following Thika's barren draw with KCB the previous day. Keen observers will have noted that when Rama Salim scored the opening goal, his 5th of the season, he moved above George Odhiambo "Blackberry" as Gor Mahia's top scorer in the past 5 seasons (my stats currently go back to only 2008). Indeed it is safe to conclude that he is actually K'ogalo's top scorer since the club went to decline in the late 90s and early 00s but I will confirm that once I finish putting those stats together.

Rama's 5th goal of the season was his 17th in the league overall surpassing Blackberry's 16 goals that he achieved over 2 seasons. It was also Rama's 20th for the club in competitive games having scored one in the FKF Cup and 2 in the Top 8 last season. Here is a breakdown of Rama's league goals:

4 April 2012 vs Mathare United - 1
15 April 2012 vs Sofapaka - 1
6 May 2012 vs Chemelil - 1
12 May 2012 vs KCB - 2
8 July 2012 vs KCB - 3
21 July 2012 vs City Stars - 1
29 August 2012 vs Oserian - 1
3 October 2012 vs Rangers - 1
10 November 2012 vs Thika United - 1
14 April 2013 vs KCB - 1
21 April 2013 vs Sony - 1
23 June 2013 vs Karuturi - 1
17 July 2013 vs Chemelil - 1
21 July 2013 vs W. Stima - 1

It seems the club Rama has enjoyed playing against the most in K'ogalo colours is KCB, scoring 6 goals in only 3 outings!

photo courtesy michezoafrika.com

Banking the Points For A Decent Start

I was at the City Stadium (Tok Komwanda) last Sunday to see K’ogalo end KCB’s unbeaten run and get their ninth point of the season from four games, courtesy of goals from Donald Mosoti and Rama Salim’s last gasp penalty. Later I went through K’ogalo’s stats, first to find out if this is their best start to the season in recent years and how they have matched up against KCB since the new KPL era began. This is what I found out.

Gor Mahia have been notoriously slow starters of late. If they had managed to bag points against Karuturi, Muhoroni Youth and Tusker at the beginning of last season, they would have definitely won the league. Anyway, I can say that 3 wins out of 4 games for 9 points is our best start to the league in ages. This is how we have matched up in the past for our first 4 games.

2012: After winning our opener against Thika United, we went on to lose the next 3 games against Karuturi (0-1), Muhoroni Youth (0-1) and Tusker (0-2) for a record of 1 win, 3 losses for 3 points

2011: Starting the season with a loss to Rangers (0-3) we beat Ulinzi (1-0), drew with Karuturi (1-1) and beat Western Stima (1-0) to give us 2 wins, a loss and a draw for 7 points

2010: Started the season by drawing the first four games, Western Stima, Ulinzi and Mathare all goalless draws then a 1-1 draw with Sony for 4 points

2009: Started the season with two identical 1-0 losses to Ulinzi and Thika United before winning the next two games, 1-0 versus Chemelil Sugar and 3-2 against our traditional rivals AFC Leopards for 6 points

2008: We started the season with a loss to KCB (1-0), beat Agrochemicals 2-0 and then had two barren draws against Chemelil and Karuturi for 5 points

2007:Started the season whitewashing Homegrown 4-2 before losing the next three games, Mahakama (0-1), Red Berets (0-2) and Ulinzi (0-1) for only 3 points.

Our recent record against KCB is also healthy, last season we did a double over them, plundering 6 goals in the process. In fact one has to go back to May 2010 for the last time we lost against KCB. Here is how we have fared against them in recent seasons.

Watch highlights of K'ogalo robbing the bankers

2012:

08 July won 3-1 (Rama Salim 3)

12 May won 3-2 (Rama Salim 2, George Midenyo 1)

2011

24 Sept drew 2-2 (Collins Okoth, Eric Masika)

03 April won 1-0 (Solomon Nasio)

2010

11 Sept won 2-0 (Musa Mohammed, George “blackberry”Odhiambo)

16 May lost 0-1

2009

08 Nov won 2-1 (Duncan Owiti “Macheda”, 2)

18 April lost 2-1 (George Odhiambo – the goalkeeper, not Blackberry)

2008

13 Sept drew 0-0

01 March lost 0-1

Together with this season results, our record against KCB since 2008 reads as Played 11, Won 6, Lost 3, drew 2

This weekend we look forward to hosting Sony and sending them back to Awendo empty handed

Review: Last Season In Numbers

2012 is gone, with all the excitement, drama and eventual disappointment as we lost the league on the last day of the season. This disappointment was made slightly more bearable by the fact that we we won 2 cups and none of us ever thought we'd finish as runners -up given the terrible start we had at the beginning of the season. Before we delve into the new season, here are some numbers that were served up last season. 

37 - K'ogalo scored a total of 37 league goals in the season, compared to the 27 it scored in 2011. Gor's best year in terms of league goal hauls in the last 5 seasons was however in 2009 when it scored 38 goals, one more than last season. In 2010 Gor scored 33 goals while the worst season in the last 5 years in terms of goals scored was in 2008 when it scored a paltry 18 goals. 

12 - Rama Salim and Dan Sserunkuma both scored 12 league goals, the highest by a Gor player in the last 5 seasons. Previously, George "Blackberry" Odhiambo had scored 8 in 2010 and 2009. This was also the first time a K'ogalo player had breached the double figure digit in the last 5 seasons. Sserunkuma finished the league with 17 goals, having scored 5 goals for City Stars in the first leg of the season, emerging as the second highest scorer behind Sofapaka's John Baraza. 

15 - Rama Salim scored a total of 15 goals in all competitions for Gor, emerging as its highest overall scorer. In just one season, Rama is only a goal behind George "Blackberry" Odhiambo's current record haul of 16 goals, scored over 2 season. (Note that these stats apply for only the past 5 seasons). The top 5 goal getters for Gor in the past 5 seasons are as follows:

   1. George Odhiambo "Blackberry" - 16

   2. Rama Salim - 15

   3. Dan Sserunkuma - 12

   4. Baldin Ngwa - 10

   5. Julius Owino "Awilo" - 9

   5. Kevin Omondi "Daddy" - 9

15 - 15 players managed to score 51 goals for Gor in all competitions. These were: Rama Salim (15), Dan Sserunkuma (12), Ivan Anguyo (4), Edwin Lavatsa (3), Baldin Ngwa, George Midenyo, Ali Abondo, Moses Odhiambo, Kevin Omondi and Itubu Imbem (2) and 1 each for Chris Wekesa, Hugo Nzoka, Dan Makori, Joseph Njuguna and Moses Otieno. 

More review stats will follow shortly

Rama's Double Figure, Top Shooters and the Double Boys

I was not at City Stadium to witness the game versus Oserian but kept a keen eye on the scores update. It was thus not a surprise for me to hear Rama Salim notch his 10th league goal of the season and 13th overall for K'ogalo. This makes him the highest Gor scorer in a season over the past 5 years, breaking loose off the 9 goals he jointly held with George Blackberry Odhiambo. In just one season, Rama has also equaled Baldin Ngwa's 10 goals that he scored in 3 seasons and is only 6 goals shy of "Berry's total of 16 goals in 2 seasons. He still has 8 games to achieve this. Here is a list of K'ogalo's top scorers in the league over the past 5 seasons.

	Player	Goals
1	George Odhiambo “Blackberry”	16
2	“Dr” Rama Salim	10
2	Baldin Ngwa	10
3	Julius “Awilo” Owino	9
4	Kevin Omondi “Daddy”	8
4	Duncan Owiti “Macheda”	8

The following is how Rama has scored his 10 league goals.

vs. Mathare Utd - 1
vs. Sofapaka - 1
vs.Chemelil - 1
vs. KCB - 5
vs. City Stars - 1
vs. Oserian - 1

Last week I did not blog after the Mathare draw but here are a few interesting stats from that game:
That was Gor's 7th successive draw in the league against the chokoras. Sserenkuma's double followed Duncan Owiti's double against the slum boys in 2009, the last time K'ogalo beat Mathare in a league game. It was also Sserenkuma's second double for Gor, following his double against City Stars in July. In scoring 2 against Mathare, he became the 4th K'ogalo to score a double more than once in the past 5 years in the league. Duncan Owiti "Macheda" leads the way with 3 during this period and KCB seems to be the teams K'ogalo players like scoring doubles against! Below is a list of the K'ogalos who have netted more than once in a game over the last 5 seasons, with Rama Salim being the only one to have bagged a hatrick!

Date	Player	Team
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

Bring on Sony!

Gor vs Mathare United Preview

If someone is to go by stats, then today’s game against Mathare United would be a draw. The past five league games between K’ogalo and the chokoras have produced 5 consecutive draws. You have to go back to the return leg of the 2009 for a positive result for either team, when Mathare beat Gor 2-1 with Zablon “Pro” Otieno being on the scoresheet for K’ogalo. Earlier that season, Duncan Owiti “Macheda” had made his sensational debut bagging a double as Gor ran riot over Mathare, winning 3-1. It was the last time Gor beat Mathare United in a league game. Gor of course beat Mathare 2-0 last year in a Top 8 cup but can Gor break the 6 game winless streak against the chokoras today? 

In the last 5 seasons, Gor are averaging a point a game against Mathare, with the record reading played 9, won 1, lost 2 and drawn 6. This is the most number of draws against a single team for K’ogalo in the past 5 seasons. Only Karuturi and Sofapaka come close with 5 apiece. During this period Gor has shipped 9 goals past Mathare but has also let in 9.

Going into this game, Kevin Omondi will have an opportunity to become the second K’ogalo player to score for the club in the league in 3 consecutive seasons having scored 4 times in 2010 and 4 times in 2011. Only Dan Makori managed this between 2010 and 2012. Rama Salim will have the opportunity to get into double figures while Sserunkuma, if he scores once, will have tied last season’s top scorer with 4 goals, illustrating why we could not win the league last season. 

Rama's Golden Boots and Other Ulinzi Stats

Gor Mahia became the second club to lift the Top 8 cup after dethroning the defending champions, Ulinzi Stars with a 2-0 win. The following are some of the statistical milestones from the Sunday game.

Rama Salim scored his 12^th goal of the season in all competitions, making him only 5 goals shy of George Odhiambo Blackberry’s 17 goals as K’ogalo’s top scorer over the past 5 seasons. 9 of these goals have come in the league where he is currently equal with Blackberry’s haul of 9 in a season, achieved during the 2009 season. Dr. Rama has scored 3 goals in cup competitions this season, the highest by a K’ogalo. Other K’ogalo who has scored more than one in the cups this season are Edwin Lavatsa (2), Ivan Anguyo (2) and Itubu Imbem (2). The leading K’ogalo in the cups over the last five seasons is Edwin Lavatsa who has scored an incredible 6 goals in just two seasons, including 4 in last years' FKF Cup.

The game against Ulinzi Stars was K’ogalo’s 12^th game against these opponents in the last 5 seasons, with the results being pretty even. Gor has now won 4 games, lost 4 and drawn 4 against the soldiers in this period, scoring  9 goals and conceding 6 goals in the process. Gor has also recorded the better results in terms of scores during this period, winning 4-2 in 2009, 2-0 last Sunday and 2-0 in 2010 (when Blackberry scored what to me was the goal of the season). Ulinzi has not beaten Gor by more than 1 goal since September 2007 when they won 2-0 in a league encounter.

I am attempting to put together a list of K’ogalo scorers against Ulinzi but missing out on the K’ogalo scorers against Ulinzi on 23 August 2009 when Gor won 4-2. I know Blackberry scored one of the goals but who scored the other 3? Otherwise the last 5 years results against Ulinzi are as follows.

2012

19 August Ulinzi 0  Gor 2 [Rama Salim, Itubu Imbem] - Top 8 Final

21 April  Ulinzi 1    Gor 0 - League

2011

20 August  Ulinzi 0 Gor 0 - League

18 May Gor 0 Ulinzi 1 (match abandoned and awarded to Ulinzi) – Top 8 Semi Final

20 April Ulinzi 0 Gor 0 – Top 8 Semi Final

6 March Gor 1 Ulinzi 0 [Kevin Omondi] - League

2010

18 August Gor 2 Ulinzi 0 [Baldin Ngwa, George Odhiambo]

27 February Ulinzi 0 Gor 0

2009

23 August Gor 4 Ulinzi 2  [scorers?]

7 February Ulinzi 1 Gor 0

2008

10 August Ulinzi 1 Gor 0

6 April Gor 0 Ulinzi 0

Looking forward to the game against the draw kings, Mathare United.