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Gor Mahia striker Benson Omala turned 22 on Monday and his impressive goal record so far is just another reminder of how good he is at a tender age
Gor Mahia striker Benson Omala celebrated his 22nd birthday on Monday, a day when national team Harambee Stars face Russia in a friendly match in Turkey.
It is a match that has seen Omala’s name feature prominently since Stars coach Engin Firat named his squad for the encounter last week with the K’Ogalo striker not included.
There has been outcry from a section of fans who accused Firat of ‘favoruitism’ given Omala is currently the leading scorer in the Football Kenya Federation Premier League with six goals.
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11:00 - 15.10.2023
FOOTBALL Namwamba defends Firat over Gor Mahia striker Benson Omala’s Harambee Stars snub
Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba has come to the defence of Harambee Stars coach Engin Firat after he was accused of ‘favouritism’ for not selecting Gor Mahia’s Benson Omala
Their feeling is, as the leading scorer, Omala ought to have been a shoo-in for Harambee Stars but Firat had other ideas and called up Masoud Juma, Alfred Scriven, Cliffton Miheso, Moses Shummah and captain Michael Olunga instead.
Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba also waded into the debate, urging Kenyans to respect the coach’s decision, while a number of players past and present have also voiced their opinion.
It is a big compliment for the striker that at 22, he is already generating national debate due to his qualities.
Omala has risen to prominence in the last one year following his goal-scoring exploits at Gor where he set the league alight in the 2022-23 season.
The striker went onto an incredible goalscoring spree and by May, it was already clear that the record of 26 league goals a season set by Gor legend Maurice ‘Sonyi’ Ochieng in 1976 was under threat.
Omala started May already on 25 goals and should have broken the record were it not for a five-game drought, allowing Elvis Rupia, then at Kenya Police, to dislodge him and win the Golden Boot Award, beating Sonyi’s tally, after notching 27.
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20:00 - 12.10.2023
FOOTBALL ‘He is not Messi or Bergkamp’ - McKinstry's honest assessment of Gor Mahia hotshot Benson Omala’
Omala tops the goalscoring charts on six goals in the league so far this season, with his brace against AFC Leopards the pick of the bunch so far.
The Gor striker added one more before the season ended to equal the 47-year record, playing a major part in K’Ogalo winning a record extending 20th league title against the expectations of many.
“Omala is an upcoming player and there was a time Gor we banned from signing players and that helped him a great deal,” Gor legend Peter Dawo told Pulse Sports in May on the reason behind Omala’s meteoric rise.
“He got a chance and proved that he can be a real striker. Without the ban, Gor would have brought in another striker and it is possible that we would not have known much about him. So, the ban may not have been good for Gor, but it helped the upcoming players, especially people like Omala.”
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08:00 - 15.10.2023
FKFPL Gor Mahia hotshot Benson Omala reveals inspiration behind his brace against AFC Leopards
Benson Omala scored both goals as Gor Mahia beat AFC Leopards and the striker has explained what motivated him to slay Ingwe on derby day
But it is not just about grabbing his chances but also showing great quality. For a 22-year-old, the striker has a great poacher’s instinct which makes him deadly in and around the box.
Not known to be involved a lot in the build-up, Omala’s great asset is his positioning and execution. He stays in the right place at the right time to benefit from balls in his path or in the box to finish them off.
He is also blessed with great pace and his intelligence and power makes him a handful for opposing defenders and goalkeepers.
All these were on show during the Mashemeji derby a week ago when he scored both goals as Gor beat AFC Leopards 2-0.
That brace took his tally to six from as many games so far and few will bet against him finishing the season at the top of the goal scorer’s charts in 2023-24.
This will surely make it difficult for Firat to overlook him while his club will struggle to hold onto him given the expected interest yet again from teams across the continent, if not the world.
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