- Nairobi City Stars defeated Gor Mahia 1-2 to complete a double over them in a midweek clash staged at the Dandora Stadium on Thursday, May 15.
- Hansel Ochieng and Vincent Owino scored for Salim Babu’s side, while Benson Omalla netted the consolation goal for Gor Mahia.
- City Stars assistant coach Patrick Gitagia revealed the tactical masterclass that helped his team outclass Gor Mahia.
Nairobi City Stars assistant coach Patrick Gitagia has shed light on the tactical approach that saw his side edge past Gor Mahia 1-2 during Thursday evening’s FKF Premier League midweek clash at the Dandora Stadium in Nairobi.
Hansel Ochieng and Vincent Owino netted the decisive goals for City Stars, earning them a crucial three points that lifted them off the bottom of the table.
They leapfrogged Bidco United into 17th place with 30 points. Gor Mahia’s Benson Omalla grabbed a consolation goal as coach Salim Babu completed a season double over the record champions.
Speaking after the match, Gitagia who serves as Babu’s assistant, revealed that their strategy was heavily influenced by a detailed analysis of Gor Mahia’s style under Sinisa Mihic.
How City Stars plotted Gor Mahia’s downfall
Recognizing that Gor deployed a back three, City Stars bolstered their attacking line with three forwards a move that proved highly effective.
We studied our opponents to understand their strengths and weaknesses. They used a back three, and one of their defenders often pushed higher up the pitch, leaving space behind. He struggled to recover defensively, so we opted for an aggressive approach in attack.
It worked we created numerical advantages up front. The game was evenly contested, 11 vs 11, but tactically, we outmaneuvered them,” Gitagia told Azam TV post-match.
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The former Police FC assistant coach acknowledged the quality of Gor Mahia but expressed pride in completing a rare double over them.
He praised his team’s character and resilience, vowing they would continue fighting until the season’s end.
It was a good game today. Gor are a quality side, but I thank God we managed to beat them both in the first and second legs. Despite our position near the bottom, this shows we have spirit.
Being down there does not necessarily reflect a team’s true ability it’s sometimes just misfortune. If we win our next two matches, we’ll be in a strong position. The journey is not over yet,” he added.
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With three fixtures remaining against Posta Rangers, KCB, and Mathare United Gitagia outlined how they intend to secure their top-flight status.
When you are fighting relegation, you need at least 11 committed players ready to win the ball. Every match is a final. There’s no room for relaxing, we are going all out in the remaining games.
These two back-to-back wins have motivated the squad. When players are tactically and mentally motivated, everything begins to fall into place.”
City Stars now turn their focus to Sunday’s clash with Posta Rangers at the Kenyatta Stadium in round 32 of the Premier League.
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