Gor Mahia 0-1 Posta Rangers: Mailmen hand K'Ogalo sixth loss of the season

Gor Mahia were unable to pick a point against 10-man Posta Rangers in a Football Kenya Federation Premier League tie on Wednesday after conceding a 1-0 defeat at Kasarani.

The loss, courtesy of a goal from Rangers; Francis Nambute, is the sixth for the Green Army as their title defence journey gets tough even before the season hits the half-way mark.

Michael Apudo, who returned to Posta Rangers in the last transfer window from Gor Mahia, was shown a straight red card in the third minute when he brought down Tito Okello who was on his way towards the goal. Apudo was the last man standing in Posta Rangers' defence when K'Ogalo broke through but the act of bringing down Okello ended their ambitious run.

Okello and Kenneth Muguna scrambled for a cross, from the left-hand side by Clifton Miheso, in the seventh minute and consequently lost an opportunity to break the deadlock.

Goalkeeper Kelvin Opiyo denied Wilson Silva of Gor Mahia in the 10th minute when he managed to parry away a diving header by the Brazilian in a tight angle. The Green Army were unable to make use of the resultant two corners that were cleared by the visitors rather easily.

Posta Rangers' coach Stanley Okumbi waited until the 19th minute to make a change after Apudo's red card as he brought on Simon Mbugua in place of Eliud Lokuwom.

Despite being a man down, Posta Rangers managed to attack Gor Mahia intermittently and were rewarded with an unlikely opener in the 45th minute when Nambute struck past Gad Mathews to give the Mailmen a first-half lead.

Samuel Onyango almost gave Gor Mahia an equaliser in the 55th minute but his close-range effort went over the bar. Manuel Vaz Pinto made two changes in the 64th minute when he replaced Kevin Wesonga and Onyango with Philemon Otieno and Alpha Onyango respectively.

Another chance for Gor Mahia went to waste when Okello failed to connect to a Muguna cross in the 70th minute. The South Sudanese international sent his effort wide despite being in a good position to find an equaliser.

Harun Shakava was yellow-carded in the 80th minute for a dangerous foul on an opponent before Posta Rangers' Opiyo was also cautioned a minute later. 

Despite the numerical advantage, Gor Mahia failed to find at least an equaliser against Okumbi's side.

Gor Mahia XI : Gad Mathews, Kelvin Wesonga, Godfrey Ochieng, Andrew Juma, Harun Shakava, Ernest Wendo, Samuel Onyango, Kenneth Muguna, Wilson Silva, Tito Okello, Clifton Miheso.

Subs : John Njau, Philemon Otieno, Charles Momanyi,  Joachim Oluoch, Sydney Ochieng, Alpha Onyango, Abdoul Karim, Jules Ulimwengu, John Macharia.

Posta Rangers XI : Kelvin Opiyo, Elvis Osok, Michael Apudo, Osman Suleiman, Kevin Ouma, Joshua Nyatini, Jackson Dwang, Sammy Odero, Francis Nambute, Alex Luganji, Eliud Lokuwom, 

Subs : Bryne Omondi, Faina Jacobs, Simon Mbugua, Bernard Ondiek, Steiner Musasia, Peter Ng'ang'a, Calvin Odongo, Josephat Lopaga, Amos Kigadi.