The late Stephen “McQueen” Yongo was the first player to net a hat-trick for Kenya Premier League (KPL) record champions Gor Mahia FC.
According to Gor Mahia, the creative midfielder bagged the first hat-trick in 1968.
“Yongo found the back of the net 3 times on 26 May 1968 as Gor Mahia beat Mombasa's Liverpool FC (later renamed Mwenge) 6-2,” Gor Mahia stated.
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Yongo, dubbed by many as one of the greatest footballers to don the Kenya national team (Harambee Stars) and K’Ogalo jerseys led the Gor Mahia attack after the merger of Luo Sports Club and Luo Union.
The Homa Bay-born forward was also among the Kenyan squad that made their maiden appearance in the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament staged in Cameroon in 1972.
In a recent interview with Nation, David Okello who played alongside Yongo described him as the most focused footballer he has ever met.
"He was the ultimate football man. When we converged in a bar, usually at Kaloleni, Yongo didn’t allow the waiter to take away all the empty bottles of beer. He used any number that he needed to arrange them as if they were players on the pitch.
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"This is how you make a killer move,’ he would explain, moving the bottles around. ‘This is how to break a defence.’ He could use the bottles and their tops to simulate any situation. He was such fun to be with," disclosed Yongo.
Yongo died three years ago aged 74 after a long battle with an illness which made him lose eyesight.
Other players who have previously scored hat-tricks for Gor Mahia include Meddie Kagere and Erisa Ssekisambu.
Kagere scored three goals for Gor Mahia in 2018 in a match against Nakumatt FC.
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