‘The Pressure is There’ - Gor Mahia Star on How K’Ogalo Are Coping With Weight of Mashemeji Derby

As the 98th Mashemeji Derby draws near, Gor Mahia defender Bryton Onyona admits the squad is feeling the weight of expectations as they look forward to taking on AFC Leopards.

Gor Mahia host eternal rivals Leopards at Kasarani Stadium on Sunday and it is a match with more than three points at stake as pride and bragging rights is at stake.

K’Ogalo have dominated Leopards in recent years although their two meetings last season ended in draws but both sides come into the match under pressure to win as Gor Mahia were thrashed 4-1 by newbies APs Bomet in their last match while Leopards have not won any of their last three games.

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It was a reality check for Gor Mahia, who had won six out of their previous seven games that saw them move to the top of the table, and now, they are still at the summit but only on goal difference with Kakamega Homeboyz breathing down their necks.

That has added an extra layer of pressure on Gor Mahia, heading into the derby and Onyona admits they have to do everything to secure three points given form does not count on derby day.

“We lost our last game so we have to do much better to get a win which will seal our place at the top of the table,” Onyona told the club’s media.

“We are working well, the coaches are doing everything and we just want to be calm. Let the fans fight the war outside.”

The young left-back believes the only way to avoid crumbling under the weight of derby expectation is to focus on the job at hand and treat it as any other match.

“The pressure is there,” admitted Onyona. “It is a derby and there is no underdog in the derby as everyone wants to win the bragging rights and everything. The pressure is there but we want to be calm and operate like a normal game.”

“We do not want the pressure to get into our heads and carry us away. We just want to play and win,” the former Gor Mahia Youth player said.