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Nairobi City Stars crushed Gor Mahia's hopes of a 22nd FKFPL title after handing them a shock 2-1 defeat on Thursday.
Nairobi City Stars assistant coach Patrick Gitagia has explained how he was able to mastermind a comfortable 2-1 win over title challengers Gor Mahia in an FKFPL match that took place at the Dandora Stadium on Thursday afternoon.
The loss not only denied K’Ogalo a vital three points but also kept league leaders Kenya Police FC comfortably ahead on the log, with time quickly running out in the season.
Coming into the match, Gor Mahia were firm favourites with the prospect of cutting the gap between themselves and the summit within touching distance.
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Coming into the clash, Gor Mahia were overwhelming favourites with a chance to close the gap on league leaders Kenya Police FC.
Meanwhile, City Stars were scrapping for survival near the bottom of the log. But Gitagia’s tactical masterstroke turned the script on its head.
Hansel Ochieng struck early for City Stars in the 5th minute, capitalizing on a lapse in Gor Mahia’s backline to slot past goalkeeper Gad Mathews.
Although Benson Omala equalized just five minutes later from an expertly lofted Enock Morisson assist, Simba wa Nairobi regained the lead in the 17th minute after Mathews fouled Ochieng in the box. Vincent Owino converted the resulting penalty to restore the advantage.
The score remained unchanged, handing City Stars an unlikely double over Gor Mahia this season — an outcome that stunned fans given their precarious league standing.
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Speaking after the match, Gitagia explained the tactical nuances that guided their approach.
“We analyse how they play and identify opposition weaknesses. They play with three defenders at the back. When one defender steps into the midfield zone, he forgets to back track and they remain two at the back — and against two strikers, you create many opportunities,” he revealed.
“When they play three at the back, four in the middle and three upfront, and one steps out of his zone, it becomes easy to outnumber them numerically. That is how you get something.”
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The assistant coach hailed his players' grit and emphasized the importance of unity and tactical clarity in their survival push.
“You have to have 11 players that can fight. Every remaining game is a final. We would rather have a player die for the shirt and even be willing to die. We have to be united at this moment,” he said.
“When you give them tactical information, it gives them more hope. If you tell them they have two people at the back and we get them to create numerical advantages, it becomes easier for them.
“Creating 3 v 2 situations is easy because we have the number 10 supporting the two forwards, which gives us a chance to score.”
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He also acknowledged the pitch conditions and how they factored into their game plan.
“The ground is also slippery, so our first steps have to be quick and efficient in order to bypass their defence.”
The win lifts City Stars to 17th place with 30 points, just one behind Murang’a Seal, as the relegation battle tightens. For Gor Mahia, the result leaves them trailing Kenya Police FC, with the clock ticking on their title chase.
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