By Michael Kirwa
The 2024-25 FKF Premier League season enters Round 4 with record champions Gor Mahia starting their title defence at home to 2008 league champions Mathare United in a match scheduled to kick off at 4 pm at the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos on Saturday.
Gor Mahia, together with 2024 FKF Cup champions Kenya Police, did not feature in the first three rounds of the season due to CAF assignments.
K’Ogalo were competing for a chance to feature in the group stage of the 2024-25 CAF Champions League while the law enforcers participated in the qualifying rounds of the 2024-25 CAF Confederation Cup with the hope of progressing to the competition’s round-robin stage.
Unfortunately, their adventures on the continental stage did not go according to plan. Despite a promising start which saw them eliminate South Sudanese and Ethiopian opponents in the first qualifying rounds of their competitions respectively, the two clubs suffered elimination after falling to Egyptian giants Al Ahly and Zamalek respectively in the second and final qualifying round.
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Gor Mahia and Kenya Police now seek to redeem themselves with flying starts to their league campaign and their welcome to action in the 2024-25 FKF Premier League season does not get bigger than contesting matches against former league champions Mathare United (13th with two points) and Tusker FC (6th with four points) respectively.
K’Ogalo’s rivalry with Mathare United has highlighted Kenyan topflight football in the last three decades and was only halted by the latter’s slump to the FKF National Super League for the 2023-24 season.
Mathare’s return to the top tier sees the renewal of that enthralling rivalry and even though Gor Mahia have dominated recent meetings between the two clubs by winning five of their last six encounters, Mathare’s penchant for performing when it matters most against Gor Mahia cannot be overlooked.
The Slum Boys having lost once and drawn twice in their first three matches of the season, will be seeking their first win since their return to the topflight on Saturday.
Gor Mahia play their first match in 24/25 season
Their last win against Gor Mahia, a 2-1 victory on March 1, 2023, came at a time when they had their backs against the wall, needing to win in order to increase their chances of avoiding relegation.
On that occasion, that victory ended Gor Mahia’s 11-match unbeaten run in the league and even though they ended up being relegated, it remains a performance that they can look back on as one that embodies the greatness they can harness from within themselves when the occasion calls for it.
The setting of this epic contest in Machakos makes it nostalgic for Gor Mahia as it was the scene of their coronation as the 2023-24 FKF Premier League champions.
On that day, Gor Mahia emerged victorious in a seven-goal thriller, defeating Bidco United by the odd goal before savoring their crowning as Kenyan champions for a record 21st time.
However, saccharine a moment that was, Gor Mahia winning the league two seasons in a row is evidence that the club does not dwell on past conquests, and on Saturday they will be looking to demonstrate how quickly they have moved on from last season’s high as they chart their way to a third consecutive league title.
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Speaking of highs, Murang’a Seal had it all going for them at this stage last season with six points from their first three matches, a performance that had them sitting third on the league standings.
Despite winning their first match of the season after defeating Ulinzi Stars 1-0, defeats to KCB (2-0) and Kariobangi Sharks (3-0), have seen Seal struggle to replicate the fairy tale start they enjoyed in their debut topflight season.
They now lie ninth with three points, four points adrift of pacesetters KCB and Kariobangi Sharks who are joint-top with seven points.
As such, Round 4 finds Seal itching for a return to winning ways and there is something poetic to their urge to taste victory once again as they will be up against a team that is off to a fairy tale start in their debut league season.
Mara Sugar, with six points from their first three games, will arrive at the SportPesa Arena on Sunday for their 3 pm kick off eager to ensure that Murang’a Seal do not burst their bubble as they have consistently done in the past.
Mara Sugar are joint-second with AFC Leopards but are ranked fourth on goal difference.
Seal and Mara Sugar will renew their rivalry from their FKF National Super League days, a period during which the former had the latter on a tight chokehold, winning three of their last four encounters.
Mara Sugar’s last two visits to Murang’a ended in 3-0 and 3-1 defeats, a record Seal will be keen to extend on Sunday.
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Elsewhere, Shabana, buoyed by the Sports Disputes Tribunal suspending a decision by the Football Kenya Federation to have the club play its next five home matches behind closed doors, will be hoping to mark the occasion they play a topflight match in Kisii for the first time in two decades with a victory in their 3pm kick off against Posta Rangers at Gusii Stadium.
Shabana, despite having the league’s top scorer Mathew Tegisi who has three goals, are yet to win a match this season, collecting two points from the two matches they have played against Bidco United (1-1) and Ulinzi Stars (2-2).
Tegisi has scored all of Shabana’s three goals this season but his effort has been undone by his club conceding equalizers which erased the significance of his exploits upfront.
The Glamour Boys, who have a match in hand against Kenya Police, will hope to be more resolute this time in defending their lead as they have already demonstrated their potential to take control of matches.
Below are the full fixtures for Round 4 of the 2024-25 FKF Premier League:
SATURDAY
Sofapaka vs Bandari | 1 pm | Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos
Bidco United vs Talanta | 1 pm | Utalii Grounds, Nairobi
Shabana vs Posta Rangers | 3 pm | Gusii Stadium, Kisii
Gor Mahia vs Mathare United | 4 pm | Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos
SUNDAY
KCB vs Ulinzi Stars | 1 pm | Police Sacco Stadium, Nairobi
AFC Leopards vs Nairobi City Stars | 3 pm | Dandora Stadium, Nairobi
Kakamega Homeboyz vs Kariobangi Sharks | 3 pm | Mumias Sports Complex, Kakamega
Murang’a Seal vs Mara Sugar | 3 pm | SportPesa Arena, Murang’a
Kenya Police FC vs Tusker FC | 4 pm | Police Sacco Stadium, Nairobi
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