NYAYO NATIONAL STADUIM
SATURDAY 14TH AUGUST 2010
1500HRS

It will be a battle for supremacy as the two title contenders meet in a mouth watering clash at the Nyayo national stadium. Both teams come into the match having made headlines this week for the same reason; refusing to release their young players for national sighting club assignments in the premier league during the weekend.

Mathare officials had called the national youth team officials requesting that their players be released from the camp but after a brief negotiation the club agreed to let both Innocent Mutiso, the Mathare United midfielder who is captain of his national team and club-mate Jacob Kelli to stay on for the national duty.

Gor Mahia officials, however, came and physically took their four players from the camp and it took the intervention of Erastus Okul [Football Kenya Limited] vice-chairman and Prime Minister office [Raila Odinga] for the Gor mahia chairman [Ambrose Rachier] to release the players. The Gor Mahia players are: Anthony Akumu, Abdimalik Mohammed, Musa Mohammed and Duncan Owiti.

Out of the last five matches played, Gor-mahia has lost only one (1-0, to arch-rivals AFC leopards in the first leg matches) and won four. Mathare united on the other hand has lost one (2-0 to Sony Sugar, their first loss of the 2010 season), won one and drawn three. Both teams have 30 points and a win for either will place them within two points of leaders Ulinzi stars. A win for Gor mahia means they can go on to top the league if they follow up with a win against top placed Ulinzi next week on Wednesday.

GOR MAHIA
Gor come into the match placed 4th in the league having the same points as Mathare but with an inferior goal difference and with a match at hand. The team is enjoying a rich vain of form having maintained a 100% record in the 2nd phase of the league.Gor finished in an impressive fifth position last season despite a poor start and will be seeking to better that performance this season by nothing less than the title.

Combining youth and experience the team seems to be getting the form and class that saw them crowned multiple Champions in the 80’s. Having swept aside teams like tusker the team has shown they not only want to entertain their faithful funs with nice football but also to win the title.

MATHARE UNITED
The 2008 champions have been having a somewhat indifferent season and are currently placed in 3rd position. They also pride in being the team with the least number of loses in the league having lost only once this season against Sony Sugar about a month ago. The Team seems unaffected by the suspension of their head coach Francis Kimanzi who has since flown off to Netherlands for studies.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Gor Mahia
George ‘blackberry’ Odhiambo
The young lad has continued with last season’s performance that saw him be crowned the young player of the season. The player who combines both pace intelligence and thunderous shots has proved to be Gor’s stand out player once more and the Mathare’s backline should be on high alert to keep him from scoring.

Kevin Omondi
The former Langata high starlet has been the biggest revelation this season and seems to be following the footsteps of blackberry who mesmerized everyone in his first season. The young lad has been labelled as one of the best dribblers of the league in recent times and his good form has seen him capped thrice for the national team both in the stating 11 the recent coming this week against Tanzania.

Mathare united
Kevin Opiyo
Not many know him with his second name because he is often referred to as Oliech just like his elder brother. While he hasn’t bagged enough of his own goals he has provided the highest number of assists for Mathare United. Having a combination of blistering pace and a wonderful shot the young Oliech might give the Gor backline the hardest time yet.

Joseph Nyaga
The evergreen striker is enjoying another good season with the slum boys and will be expected to do what he has been doing over the years, score goals. A player who loves to attack through the left side promises to give Gor’s Captain a hard afternoon and the keeper should watch out for his gifted left foot.

The last encounter between these two teams ended in a goal less draw. Is this likely to re-occur?