NAIROBI, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- The biggest football derby in Kenya on Saturday saw champions Gor Mahia FC crush local archrivals AFC Leopards SC 2-0 in a charged affair played at the MISC Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi.
It was the 85th meeting between the two most successful clubs in the country with midfielders Kenneth Muguna and Francis Kahata stealing the headlines when they scored for the record 17-time domestic league winners either side of the break to clinch the all-important three points.
Victory saw Gor who travel to Angola to play Petro Atletico in Luanda in their second Group D CAF Confederations Cup tie move up to second in the Kenyan Premier League on 22 points, three points adrift but with a game in hand over log leaders Mathare United FC having played 11 fixtures.
Leopards and their new head coach, Rwandese Andre Casa Mbungo have a real job at hand after the losers were left languishing in 15th on 10, two above the basement with the proud 12-time league champions facing the risk of being dragged into a relegation dog fight having following their sixth loss of an underwhelming campaign.
His opposite number, Turkish-Cypriot Hassan Oktay on the other hand saw his side build on the momentum that has seen Gor win their last four fixtures on the bounce with victory over the old enemy sustaining an unbeaten run against Leopards that stretches back to March 2016.
Kenya's record goal scorer Dennis Oliech was the most notable absentee from the line-up, with Oktay stating that the 34-year old picked up an injury in training forcing him out of the game that was a cocktail of colour punctuated by high volume from the stands.
Thousands of Gor fans exploded in joy in the 16th minute when Muguna forced the ball past Leopards keeper Eric Ndayishimiye after his defence failed to clear a Kahata deep cross to the box.
Muguna found the cross bar and club record signing, Rwanda forward Jacques Tuyisenge came close to extending Gor's lead as the champions went into half time a goal to the good.
Kenya international Kahata sealed victory in the 64th when his free-kick found a way past Ndayishimiye as Leopards were once again punished for sloppy defending with the second goal sending Gor fans ballistic.
Tuyisenge then saw his headed finish ruled out for offside in the 79th as the champions held on to record a prized win over their fiercest rivals and 12-time domestic league winners.
