This archive report was first published on 19 August 2019.
Kenya Premier League giants Gor Mahia kicked off their new season with a 1-0 win over Bandari in the KPL Super Cup, but the victory highlighted several areas of concern for the team.
Lawrence Juma scored the winning goal, handing new head coach Steven Pollack his first trophy since joining the club two weeks ago.
However, Gor's performance was marred by a lack of quality, with the team managing only three shots on target against Bandari.
The departure of key players such as Jacques Tuyisenge, Francis Kahata, George Odhiambo, and Harun Shakava has weakened the team, but new signings like David Mapigano and Joash Onyango have shown promise.
Former Western Stima captain Maurice Ojwang, who joined Gor this month, did not feature in the game, but Pollack's backline seemed solid, with Charles Momanyi filling in for Shakava.
Another positive for the team is the arrival of defensive midfielder Tobias Otieno, who impressed against Bandari and may challenge Ernest Wendo for a starting spot.
But Otieno will need to work on his tackling timing, as he picked up a second yellow card in the match.
Upfront, new recruit Francis Afiriye struggled to make an impact, failing to register a single shot on target in his hour on the pitch.
"I've been here for nearly two weeks, and it's good to get the trophy, which is the start of many more. With time, we will get much better," said Pollack.
Bandari, on the other hand, will need to address their weak attack if they hope to break Gor's hegemony and win the league title.
The team's striking force, led by Yema Mwana, has been inconsistent, and they will need to improve their finishing if they are to succeed in the CAF matches.
Head coach Bernard Mwalala is aware of the team's weaknesses but is hopeful that they can get their spark back against Al Shandy of Sudan in their upcoming continental fixture.
