Gor Mahia head coach Charles Akonnor has praised Ben Stanley’s decisive contribution and goalkeeper Kevin Omondi’s impressive performance after K’Ogalo secured a narrow 1-0 victory over APS Bomet at Raila Odinga Stadium in Homa Bay.
Gor Mahia claimed their second consecutive win of the league campaign, maintaining their perfect start to the season after a hard-fought encounter against a resilient APS Bomet side.
Speaking to the media after the match, Akonnor admitted that the game was evenly contested and that his team struggled to impose its preferred style of play, with the decisive moment of quality ultimately separating the two sides.
“I am happy for the win because when you look at how the match was going, it looked like a draw. It was a tough game, and we could not play the way we wanted,” Akonnor said.
The Ghanaian tactician credited Stanley for producing the moment that made the difference, with the Gor Mahia forward displaying composure before setting up Alpha Onyango for the winning goal.
“The moment of magic, the way Stanley showed composure, turned and gave an assist, which was wonderful, and that was the difference-maker in this match,” he added.
Akonnor also acknowledged that Gor Mahia had to withstand early pressure from APS Bomet, who created opportunities that could have changed the outcome of the encounter.
The coach reserved special praise for goalkeeper Kevin Omondi, whose performance proved crucial in keeping K’Ogalo in the contest and preserving their clean sheet.
“We were lucky because in the early minutes they also had some chances, but our goalkeeper, Kevin Omondi, was brilliant,” he stated.
Omondi’s display comes amid discussions surrounding his performances, with Akonnor revealing that the technical bench had continued to encourage the goalkeeper and expressed gratitude for the patience shown in giving him an opportunity to prove himself.
“There has been a lot of chat, and we have encouraged him, and he has showed it. We are grateful for the patience of the technical team to give him the chance, and we build the team from that perspective,” Akonnor said.
With Stanley delivering the decisive assist, Onyango finding the net and Omondi standing firm between the posts, the team demonstrated the importance of individual brilliance and defensive resilience in securing maximum points on a difficult afternoon in Homa Bay.
