The fixture was originally rescheduled to allow Tusker to participate in a cup match over the weekend but the major point of concern for Akonnor has been the back-and-forth switching of venues, from Mwea to Kasarani in Nairobi and then back to Mwea again.
The two sides will now square off on Tuesday from 4:15pm.
“We were going to play at a date (in Kirinyaga) and they changed the date to Kasarani (Nairobi) and all of a sudden back again (to Kirinyaga). That is not too good for a team that is focused on what they have to do,” Akonnor said.
Despite the logistical turbulence, the Ghanaian tactician insisted his side remains unfazed and focused on the bigger picture.
“We have taken that in good faith, believing that if we do the right thing at the right time, we will carry the day,” he added.
Gor Mahia currently sit at the summit on 57 points from 26 matches. In contrast, Tusker are placed 10th on 37 points. On paper, it looks a mismatch, but coach Akonnor is taking nothing for granted.
“We are focused. We want to be sure that we do what it takes to win the match,” he said.
“If it hadn’t been for the postponement and venue switching, it wouldn’t be a big issue. But because of how close our opponents are to us (in the standings), it has made it a little bigger. We are cool about it and aware of the task ahead. We are looking forward to the match.”
Akonnor’s record speaks volumes. He has lost just three league matches in 26 games so far and Gor Mahia remain undefeated this calendar year. In their last five league outings, they have registered three wins and two draws. Tusker, by comparison, have managed three wins and two losses in their last five matches.
The fixture carries enormous weight at the top of the table. With the title race tightening, AFC Leopards are hoping Tusker will do them a favour by putting a brake on Gor Mahia’s momentum. If Tusker can take points off the leaders, the gap at the top could remain to just two points.
Tuesday’s match will add another chapter to one of the most played league rivalries in Kenyan football history. Since 1970, Gor Mahia and Tusker have met 101 times, producing a rich tapestry of heavy defeats, stunning wins, hat-tricks and unforgettable ties.
The heaviest defeat for Gor Mahia against Tusker came in 1980, a painful 5–1 drubbing. K’Ogalo would wait nearly four decades later to exact revenge, hammering Tusker 5–2 in the 2019/20 season in a fixture staged in Kisumu.
With history, form and a tense title race all converging, Tuesday’s clash at Wang’uru Stadium promises to be another memorable encounter.
