Goals from Jacob Keli, Charles Okwemba and Bernard Mango’li were enough to propel AFC Leopards to a deserved win over their rivals at Nyayo Stadium

GOtv Shield champions AFC Leopards’ came from a goal down to thrash rivals Gor Mahia 3-1 in a ‘Mashemeji Derby’ played at Nyayo Stadium on Sunday.

Goals from Jacob Keli, Charles Okwemba and Bernard Mang’oli did it for Leopards’ as they broke Gor Mahia’s five match winning streak. It was the losers, who scored first through Timonah Wanyonyi in the 25th minute but were out of the game especially in the second half.

It is Gor Mahia, who tested waters first with Israel Emuge’s header off a Godfrey Walusimbi ending up in the hands of Wycliffe Kasaya in goal. The league champions were the more aggressive side in the early minutes of the game but the tide changed somewhat from the seventh minute.

Leopards’, who seem to have calmed down put their opponents under extreme pressure and the result was three consecutive corners. With all the pressure piling, Leopards’ seemed to have got the opening goal on 12th minute but Jacob Keli was ruled to have scored from an off-side position and the goal did not count.

Two minutes after that Gor Mahia were back on the offensive and Kasaya was forced to come out and stop Dan Sserunkuma, who was advancing towards his goal. At the quarter hour mark, Bernard Mang’oli’s shot went off target and two minutes later James Situma forced Jerim Onyango to his first serious save with a stunning free-kick.

Leopard’s backline was marking poorly and leaving too much spaces. It was always a matter of time before they were caught flat-foot. Sserunkuma did just that, he placed the ball behind the Leopards’ backline right in the path of an advancing Timonah Wanyonyi, who had the easiest of tasks to score the opener.

The goal rejuvenated Gor Mahia, who kept asking for more and were unlucky not to have a second almost after the first. However, Leopards’ also upped their search for an equalizer and were duly rewarded with ten minutes to the break when Jacob Keli finished off a Charles Okwemba pass as both teams went to the break tied at 1-1.

Leopards’ upped the pressure as the second half started and got the second goal at the hour mark when man of the match Charles Okwemba headed home from an Abdallah Juma free-kick. Gor Mahia made first substitution bringing in Kevin Omondi for George ‘Blackberry’ Odhiambo but it did not help them much as Bernard Mango’li killed off the game.

Goal.com