A thrilling encounter unfolded in Roysambu Pand Pieri Ground as visiting Blue Nile FC took on the home side Githurai All Stars (GAS). It seemed like a daunting task for the team from Thika, as at kick-off, GAS was 22 points ahead of them in the standings.

Added to this, the Pand Pieri ground is a tough place to visit for any side. The home support, chants and atmosphere have ensured GAS has only lost once at home this season, beaten by table-topping Kariobangi Legends.

Team Hurdles at Pand Pieri Before Kick off

The Roysambu side, under Coach Robert Ouma (Vidal), lined up in a 4-3-3 formation to start the match. However, in possession, the team seemed to morph into a 3-4-3 formation. This allowed GAS two wide players in the front three to play as wide number 10s, often dropping into midfield to create a box shape that allowed them to keep good possession.

Mark Mwaniki particularly played this role well and helped pin back the Blue Nile's back defence. This shape also allowed GAS central midfielders, particularly Nkurunziza Moise, to advance forward and provide support to their striker, Derrick Onyango (Mastingo).

Nkurunziza pushed forward effectively, recording four box touches (second in the team) and attempting four shots, but his shooting accuracy was a letdown, as only one found the target.

GAS struggled with accuracy overall, as only 7 of their 25 shots (28%) were on target. This was compounded by Blue Nile's strong defence, which forced 64% of GAS's attempts from outside the box.

GAS Defensive Vulnerability and the Goals

GAS's formation utilised a high and wide defensive strategy, with their centre-backs pushed higher up the field and their full-backs stretching wide on the flanks. In this shape, their wider centre-backs were drawn out of position, leaving gaps for penetrative runs in behind, something that was not a problem as GAS had most of the ball.

Disaster struck in the 15th minute: Moise lost possession in his half. Blue Nile quickly exploited the central gap, with one of their players bursting into the box, making a short pass to a teammate, who scored easily to take a one-goal lead.

In the 28th minute, Mark Mwaniki, a GAS standout player throughout the first half, conjured space for himself down the right flank through sheer individual brilliance. A well-taken shot from just outside the box levelled the scores and brought Pand Pieri fans to their feet.

GAS's chosen formation proved to be their undoing. There was a clear lack of defensive cover in the middle of the park at times, and it left the home side vulnerable to opposition counterattacks.

Blue Nile capitalised on this in the 41st minute, scoring their second and decisive goal through a swift, three-pass transition.

Impatience and Lack of Cohesion

In the second half, the visiting side came out to defend their lead, sitting deep, coupled with time-wasting antics. They had fewer forays upfield, and GAS had little defensive action to do as the game petered off. This meant GAS had even more possession and players were finding spaces higher up the pitch. 

“He who rides the sea of the Nile must have sails woven of patience.” This quote by William Golding advises that the actions and strategies required to navigate the Nile must be deliberate, thoughtful, and enduring, rather than hasty or impulsive.

However, against Blue Nile FC, Githurai All Stars seemed to lack the patience to build slowly, going more for long passes, attempting numerous crosses and taking long shots.

As a result, both the quality and quantity of GAS's chances dropped in the second half. Their eagerness to force plays also led to rushed passes and a decrease in completed passes. Crosses offered no improvement, as only a third (33%) were completed. 

After conceding the first goal, and again after halftime, the team pushed hard to equalise. They took five shots in the 15 minutes following the first goal and six attempts in the 15 minutes after the break, yet these two periods combined yielded only three shots on target. The flurry of shots was also witnessed in the last 15 minutes as the home side pushed for an equaliser.

Markeh Stands Out

Speedy winger Mark Mwaniki "Markeh", who joined Githurai All Stars at the beginning of this season, was the standout player for the team. Aside from his stunning goal, he was part and parcel of every good attacking sequence the team had against Blue Nile.

Markeh during the Match

Of the 4 shots he took, 3 were on target (75%), the second highest teammate had a 40% shot accuracy. He was the only player involved in pass sequences that ended in shots on target from inside the box.

Markeh was also involved in 3 pass sequences that ended in shots on target from outside the box. The winger played at a high intensity throughout until he was subbed off in the 57^th minute.

Feature Image Credit: Githurai All Stars