The former Gor Mahia striker feels the young forward can put himself in a special category with a goal against Ingwe
Gor Mahia legend Peter Dawo feels striker Benson Omala is on the cusp of history if he can score against AFC Leopards in the Mashemeji derby on Sunday.
Omala is the leading scorer in the Football Kenya Federation Premier League with 25 goals and is just one shy of the record of 26 set by another Gor legend Maurice ‘Sonyi’ Ochieng in 1976 when K’Ogalo went on to win the title after going the whole season unbeaten.
With five games remaining before the season ends, Dawo has backed the 21-year-old to score not less than three goals and feels equaling or breaking Sonyi’s record that has stood for 47 years against Gor’s bitter rivals Leopards will put him in a special category, even at his young age.
“He will break the record because even as a team, the rest of the players will be trying to help him get there,” Dawo told Pulse Sports. “He is only one behind and with five matches remaining, I think he will score more than three goals.”
“For him, it will be some sort of history. He will always refer to it and say; ‘when I broke Sonyi’s record, it was against AFC Leopards’. It would be a moment of pride to do it against local rivals compared to doing it against any other team.”
Dawo knows all about scoring goals, having been a lethal striker for Gor during two spells between 1987 and 1991. Dawo joined Gor in 1987 from MTI and helped them win the league and cup double that year before putting the icing on the cake with the Mandela Cup (now CAF Confederation Cup) victory where he emerged top scorer in the competition with 10 goals, nine of them headers.
To show just how a big impact he had, Dawo was shortlisted for the 1987 African Player of the Year and finished seventh.
Omala will have plenty to learn on Sunday as Dawo is among close to 20 Gor Mahia legends who will be in the stands to watch the match, having been sponsored by ICT Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo.
Gor will be seeking victory to return to the top of the table after watching Tusker assume the league leadership following their 1-0 win over Kariobangi Sharks on Saturday.
K’Ogalo will be encouraged by Leopards’ poor form which has seen them win just one of their last eight league games although both teams played out a goalless draw in their last meeting in January.