Uncertainty over Mashemeji derby venue sparks concerns
Details still remain scanty on alternatives in case either Nyayo or Kasarani are not secured even as fans become jittery
The 93rd edition of the Mashemeji Derby is still up in the air with no clear venue in sight yet the schedule of the biggest local football game in the land is 96 hours away.
Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards teams have been sharpening their blades in training even as fans from both quarters have been banter each other on social media in what is a tradition of raising stakes. However, the million dollar question still remains –where is the match going to be played?
Sources at the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) are suggesting frantic efforts via meetings and calls are happening with Sports Kenya on possibilities of hosting the prestigious duel at either Nyayo or Kasarani Stadiums which have been shut for over a year now undergoing renovations ahead of the CHAN (Africa Nations Championships) which Kenya co-hosts this August.
Details still remain scanty on alternatives in case either of the two facilities are not secured even as fans become jittery. Team officials are also scratching their heads even as mind games ensue. Leopards Chairman Dan Shikanda in a recent interview said;
“We may not play at Kasarani, and I cannot accept the fixture being staged at Dandora or Kenyatta in Machakos, as these venues cannot accommodate such a big match,” Shikanda said. “How do you host a game under a canopy at Kasarani, which is a construction site? As of now, the game is scheduled for Sunday, but there’s no confirmed venue. FKF should plan for us to play in Tanzania or Uganda, like Harambee Stars did,” he added.
Gor Mahia chairman Ambrose Rachier warned that his side’s recent struggles will be a forgotten issue in the derby. “We are in no hurry to sign a striker. I know the head coach has raised a genuine concern, but a derby does not depend on our current form whatsoever.”
However, on the sidelines it is the mindset of the players that matters and both outfits no full well the meaning of the derby which currently leans on K’Ogalo’s favor. In these matches though, form counts for nothing and it is a do-or-die affair with fans charged up and pushing their teams for bragging rights.
The defending league champions who are also 21times winners have had a far from satisfactory run what with a shift in management. Gor Mahia is under a third coach after the firing of Brazilian Leonardo Neiva about four months ago and the redeployment of Zedekiah Otieno to Assistant role with the new gaffer in Croatian national Sinisa Mihic just doing four matches so far and still grasping the team psyche.
As it stands, K’Ogalo is third in the Premier League log with 36 points off 20 matches. Its last two matches have been frustrating as they have dropped points to Bidco United FC and Tusker FC. A win against their sworn rivals in the derby on Sunday would make a statement and lurch them forward. Coach Mihic has warned that the team has to be hungrier upfront.
Ingwe on their end are fifth in the standings with 34 points with an inconsistent run as well. Under Coach Fred Ambani, the team has been misfiring lately and dropped six points on the road. The former Kenya international would want to diffuse tension and pressure by clinching a win for his side who are eyeing their first silverware in almost two decades.
