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Gor Mahia disarm Police to climb top of the table
Gor Mahia's Austin Odhiambo (centre) attempts to get away from Brian Okoth (left) and Edward Omondi of Kenya Police FC during a SportPesa League match against Kenya Police FC at Nyayo National Stadium, Nairobi on November 9, 2025.
What you need to know:
- K’Ogalo took early control of the match, scoring in the second minute through forward Felix Oluoch’s fourth goal of the season.
- Bandari FC registered their fourth draw in six league matches when KCB held them to a 1-1 stalemate at Mbaraki Sports Club.
Gor Mahia rose to the top of the 2025/26 Football Kenya Federation Premier League standings with 16 points following a 2-0 away win over defending champions Kenya Police at the Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday.
At the same time, Bandari FC registered their fourth draw in six league matches when KCB held them to a 1-1 stalemate at Mbaraki Sports Club in Mombasa. Both goals came in the second half, KCB taking the lead through Richard Omondi before Abdalla Hassan equalised for Bandari.
At Nyayo National Stadium, K’Ogalo took early control of the match, scoring in the second minute through forward Felix Oluoch’s fourth goal of the season. Winger Shariff Musa doubled Gor Mahia’s lead in the 29th minute with his second goal of the season.
Gor Mahia's Shariff Musa (right) scores past Kenya Police FC goalkeeper Job Ochieng in a SportPesa League match at Nyayo National Stadium, Nairobi on November 9, 2025.
The victory marked Gor Mahia’s first league over the law enforcers since a 1-0 win on April 22, 2023, and the 21-time Kenyan champions opened a two-point gap at the league summit. Kakamega Homeboyz are second in the league on 14 points.
Gor Mahia’s coach, the Ghanaian Charles Akonnor, attributed the win to a change of formation informed after studying Police’s weaknesses.
“We watched Police play Sofapaka on Wednesday and after analysing their weaknesses, we changed our formation to a 3-5-2 from 4-3-3. It worked well for us, we got two early goals and denied them space,” he said.
Gor Mahia's Shariff Musa (left) celebrates his goal with teammate Ebenezar Adukwaw during a SportPesa League match against Kenya Police FC at Nyayo National Stadium, Nairobi on November 9, 2025.
“We now know that the pressure is on us now that we are top of the league and we have to work to maintain that,” he added on Gor Mahia rising to the top of the league.
Gor Mahia missed several chances to score from set pieces and Akonnor noted that as an area to improve on.
“We have to work on set pieces both ways, in defending and attacking. Our opponents had a free header and we should not have allowed that,” he said.
Moments of brilliance
The defeat ended Kenya Police FC’s unbeaten start to the season and it marked their worse loss in the league since Posta Rangers defeated them 3-0 on September 1, 2023. Police’s Serbian coach Dusan Stojanovic blamed the loss on errors made by his team.
“We gifted Gor Mahia both goals and they punished us,” he said.
Police played better in the second half but could not get back in the game.
“Our performance improved in the second half because we managed to stick to our game plan,” Stojanovic said.
The result was a rude welcome to Kenyan football for Stojanovic who was unveiled on Sunday last week as the replacement of the Burundian Etienne Ndayiragije.
Kenya Police FC coach Dusan Stojanovic reacts during the match against Gor Mahia in the SportPesa League at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi on November 9, 2025.
Stojanovic won his first match in charge, defeating Sofapaka 1-0 on Wednesday, allowing Police FC to approach Sunday's match having not yet conceded a goal this season.
Their impregnability lasted only two minutes as Oluoch pounced to stab Ebenezer Adukwaw’s low cross into the net. The strike put him level on four goals with Nairobi United Enoch Machaka on top of the scoring charts.
Police responded with moments of brilliance that lacked a killer touch. The incisive dribbling of their forwards floored Gor Mahia defenders but attempts on goal did not match the exquisite skills.
Gor Mahia fans take selfies with midfielder Enock Morrison after the SportPesa League match against Kenya Police FC at Nyayo National Stadium, Nairobi on November 9, 2025.
In contrast, Gor Mahia’s attacks carried more threat. Enock Morrison headed Austin Odhiambo’s narrowly wide in the eighth minute and in the 15th minute, Adukwaw shot wide by inches after parting the Police defence.
The 32nd minute brought an end to Gor Mahia’s profligacy as Shariff Musa lobbed the ball over Job Ochieng’ after connecting precisely measured and weighted through pass from Sylvester Owino.
Police’s struggles on the pitch angered their fans on the main stand to lash at officials of the club’s management sitting on the main dais, accusing them of making poor signings. Their claims found validation each time Police squandered a scoring chance.
Gor Mahia almost ended the first half with a 3-0 lead but Ochieng’ to dive low to his left to keep away Morrison’s volley from an Odhiambo corner. Police came out for the second half with more industry.
