Minimizing errors key for Gor Mahia ahead of Mahemeji Derby - McKinstry

Ahead of the Mashemeji Derby slated for Saturday 7 October afternoon, Gor Mahia head coach Johnathan McKinstry believes there won’t be much for him to tweak on his team, and that his team should and will be in a possession to embrace the ‘full house’ that normally accompanies the marquee fixture.

After five games to start the 2023-24 season, K’Ogalo remain unbeaten with two wins and three draws and placed second of the FKF Premier log, and whilst everything might look good from the outside, perhaps the only tweak the head coach hopes works for his team will be for the team to minimize its already ‘frustrating errors’.

The latest, a misspass from left back Geoffrey Ochieng straight to the path of KCB midfielder Apollo Otieno who rifled in the game’s opening goal last weekend - albeit in a 1-1 draw - was one McKinstry sought to ‘cut out’ prior to playing AFC Leopards at the Moi International Sports Centre - Kasarani.

“We need to cut the errors out. That's very clear,” McKinstry said. “It's frustrating. And Ochieng is a very good player that is not used to that. It would be very different if he does it all the time and he knows it. He doesn't need to be told every time,”

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“In this league, we have teams that want to get a result against Gor Mahia and if we end up giving up balls and opportunities like that, then they’ll sit in and it's going to be a long afternoon.”

Making comparisons to last season, when K’Ogalo went on to keep 20 clean sheets as compared to one so far this season, McKinstry said; “I have spoken to the players about that and we have to get better.”

On overturning the previous result in the derby - a 2-1 loss in May - McKinstry was positive of the ‘immense quality’ of his squad that ‘exceeds much of what the entire Kenyan Premier League clubs have’ to lead him to victory.

“The squad is ready, the mood looks right and they know it's going to be a special game. Let's have a full house on Saturday,” he added.