Strategic John Baraza sets second leg dragnet for serial champions Gor Mahia

FKFPL Strategic John Baraza sets second leg dragnet for serial champions Gor Mahia

Mark Kinyanjui 12:40 - 13.12.2023

Bandari are five points behind Gor Mahia despite losing their last league fixture against City Stars.

Bandari head coach John Baraza has rubbished talk that his charges are out of the title race following the club’s recent league defeat to Nairobi City Stars in a match played at the Ruaraka Grounds on Saturday.

Robinson Asenwa’s strike was the difference as the Dockers missed out on a chance to close the gap on leaders Gor Mahia who lead the table on 28 points, five ahead of the Coast-based outfit.

Asenwa scored a brilliant goal, controlling Mohamed Bejaber’s cross inside the box before swiveling a low volley on the turn to beat keeper Joseph Ochuka.

Stars then decided to set up a low block and had keeper Edwin Mukolwe to thank for making a string of saves that prevented them from conceding an equaliser.

The defeat meant that Bandari remained fifth on 23 points, five behind leaders Gor Mahia. The Dockers will feel hard dealt by the fact they missed out on an opportunity to go top, but Baraza, a former AFC Leopards and Kenya striker - has revealed what his charges need to do in order to narrow the gap.

“We cannot say that Gor Mahia have already won the title, no,” Baraza told Pulse Sports.

“The most important thing is the fact that the gap is not huge although there is one between both teams.

“What we have to do is that we have to fight hard in order to see how we can close in on them.”

Baraza has revealed that the target is to ensure that K’ogalo does not leave his charges by sucha large margin.

“In the short term, we do not want the leaders to be ahead of us by such a large margin. I think we are on track.

“When the second leg comes, we will deal with it accordingly, but for now, this is a first leg and for now, we do not want them to leave us by such a large margin.”

Bandari will face Murang’a Seal in their next match of the season hoping to make amends for the blip at the Mbaraki Stadium in Mombasa.

Follow our Pulse Sports WhatsApp channel for more updates.