Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards will clash in the Mashemeji derby on Sunday but the fixture will bring back memories of two K’Ogalo players who were a thorn in the flash for Ingwe.
Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards will lock horns in the latest installment of the Mashemeji derby on Sunday April 21 with the title on the line for K’Ogalo.
Johnathan McKinstry’s men appear destined to defend their FKF Premier League crown as they enjoy a nine-point lead over second placed Kenya Police, with eight matches to go, but the meeting with Leopards is still a significant one even if Ingwe are eighth, some 16 points behind.
Heading into this weekend, Gor Mahia will want to complete a double over their rivals while Leopards will be encouraged by last year’s heroics when they silenced K’Ogalo in May.
Benson Omala settled the Mashemeji derby last September with his two goals which put him among some Gor Mahia greats that have managed to score more than once against Leopards but there are two legends who inflicted more pain on Ingwe since the two clubs’ first meeting on May 5, 1968.
Sammy ‘Jogoo’ Onyango
Gor Mahia legend Sammy ‘Jogoo’ Onyango is the leading scorer in the Mashemeji derby having managed seven goals against the ‘old enemy.’
Onyango Jogoo almost always scored against Leopards during his eight-year spell with K’Ogalo between 1981-1989.
His first derby goal arrived in October 1982 when Gor Mahia won 1-0 with the second coming a year later in October 1983, as K’Ogalo also claimed a 1-0 victory.
In February 1984, he scored the consolation for Gor Mahia as they lost 2-1 to Leopards and did the same in September of the same year, which they lost again 2-1.
Onyango Jogoo’s fifth derby goal would be scored in May 1986 as Leopards won 2-1 and in August the same year, managed his first brace against Ingwe but K’Ogalo lost 3-2.
In that game, Onyango Jogoo gave Gor Mahia a 2-0 lead before Leopards came from behind, Dan Musuku responding with a brace of his own for 2-2, before Patrick Shim stabbed home a late winner to give Leopards victory as they went on to win the 1986 league title unbeaten.
Dan Sserunkuma
The diminutive Ugandan forward was a thorn in the flash for Leopards in the three years he played for Gor Mahia.
‘Danny Flava’ joined Gor Mahia in 2012 and by the time he left in December 2014, nearly every Leopards fan wanted to see his back.
Sserunkuma managed six goals in the Mashemeji derby and started by netting a brace in 2012 as Gor Mahia won 2-1 in the league.
The following year, he scored once in a 1-0 win for Gor Mahia before finding the target in the return leg when both sides settled for a 2-2 draw.
Sserunkuma would seal a double again in the second leg of the two side’s league meeting in 2014, when the match ended 2-2, as Gor Mahia went on to defend their title in what was his last season at the club.
His most memorable strike against Ingwe came in 2012 at Kasarani Stadium. He picked up the ball outside the box, lost his marker with his trademark rapid acceleration before unleashing a rocket that hit the roof of the net, leaving the Leopards goalkeeper rooted to the ground.
Since then, no Gor Mahia player has scored more regularly against AFC Leopards but Omala has a chance to join the greats given his young age, added to the fact that he is level with the likes of Laban Otieno, Maurice Ojwang, Peter Dawo, Dan Ogada and Meddie Kagere on three derby goals.
Leopards’ top scorer in the derby remains Wilberforce Mulamba, who managed four goals, with Abdul Baraza, Dan Odie, Mike Baraza, and David Asibwa scoring three apiece.
