Double blow for Gor Mahia as key defender & midfielder are set to miss Bidco United clash

© Gor Mahia Facebook.

FOOTBALL Double blow for Gor Mahia as key defender & midfielder are set to miss Bidco United clash

Joel Omotto 09:34 - 27.10.2023

Gor Mahia head coach Johnathan McKinstry will have to do without the first-choice center-back and veteran midfielder for the visit of sixth-placed Bidco United on Saturday

Gor Mahia will be without defender Emery Bayisenge and midfielder Ernest Wendo when they host Bidco United in their Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKFPL) clash on Saturday.

Rwandan central defender Bayisenge suffered an injury in the early proceedings of Gor Mahia’s 1-0 win against Tusker FC last weekend and had to be replaced by Joshua Onyango while veteran midfielder Wendo is down with flu.

While giving the injury update of his squad, Gor Mahia head coach Johnathan McKinstry has said Bayisenge came off worse from the collision with Tusker’s Boniface Onyango and could be out for up to two weeks.

“Emery had to go off in the first half last week so he won’t be involved this weekend, it is a calf strain where we do not expect him to be out for too long,” McKinstry said on Thursday.

“The fact that it is three games in a week might mean he misses a couple but he will be back in the next week or two.”

The Northern Irishman also explained how the club has had to be careful with Wendo to ensure his flu did not spread to his team-mates as he expects him to be ready for Wednesday’s clash against Shabana.

“Ernest Wendo is suffering from a little bit of flu at the moment so it is not too bad but we decided to keep him out of training yesterday [Wednesday] until today because we do not want any other players coming down ill,” said the coach.

“While Ernest might be able to train himself, we just did not want that virus getting any feverish so whether or not he is available for this weekend I am not sure, but definitely by Wednesday against Shabana he should be ready.”

Joshua Onyango will likely partner Kennedy Onyango in central defence again in the absence of Bayisenge while McKinstry will not sweat so much over the unavailability of Wendo as Kevin Juma has been his preferred starter in central midfield.

The tactician also expects goalkeeper Gad Mathews, who has returned from an injury, to be in contention soon while Ugandan Patrick Kaddu is still two weeks away from coming back.

“Gad is still on his way back and not for this game but over the coming week or so, he can start to come into contention and Kaddu again still another couple of weeks away,” said McKinstry.

Gor Mahia are the only team yet to taste defeat this season and can keep pressure on top of the table Posta Rangers with victory against sixth-placed Bidco. K’Ogalo are second on the table with 15 points, one behind Posta.

Follow Pulse Sports WhatsApp channel for more news.