A second-half strike from Alvin Mang’eni added to the woes of the reigning Kenyan champions, Gor Mahia, as they were narrowly defeated 1-0 by Police FC at the SportPesa Arena Stadium in Murang’a County on Saturday afternoon.
The result marks Gor Mahia’s second loss under coach Zedekiah “Zico” Otieno, following their defeat to Bidco United. The team has now dropped eight points over three consecutive games, falling from fourth to sixth place with 18 points, having recorded five wins, three draws, and four losses.
Despite having two games in hand, the defending champions risk dropping further if AFC Leopards secure a victory in their fixture on Sunday.
Play here and stand a chance of winning the over 394 Million SportPesa Mega Jackpot
On the other hand, Police FC, under coach Etienne Ndayiragije, secured their fourth consecutive win in five matches since he took charge, propelling them to fourth place with 20 points—just four behind league leaders KCB.
The match got off to an intense start as early as the eighth minute when Gor Mahia forward Chris Ochieng found the back of the net. However, the linesman flagged the goal for offside, preventing an early lead for the K’Ogalo.
In the 13th minute, Levin Joseph Opiyo made a brilliant attempt on goal inside the box, but goalkeeper Patrick Matasi was quick to react, making a crucial save with his shoulder to keep the score level.
Police FC had their own chance in the 26th minute when Marvin Nabwire fired a shot over the bar, missing the opportunity to take the lead in the first half.
In the 44th minute, the match was briefly halted due to a commotion among the fans after firecrackers were thrown onto the Police FC bench. The match resumed after five minutes, and the score remained 0-0 as both teams headed into the break.
ALSO READ: SportPesa Mega Jackpot hits 394 million!
The second half began with Etienne making three immediate substitutions: Marvin Nabwire, Francis Kahata, and Clinton Kinanga were replaced by Alvin Mang’eni, Alfred Leku, and Jackson Macharia.
The change paid off quickly as Mang’eni broke the deadlock in the 63rd minute, scoring from a well-delivered corner kick by Daniel Sakari.
Etienne made another tactical move in the 70th minute, bringing on Eric Zakayo for David Okoth, further bolstering his team’s attack.
In search of an equalizer, Zico made three changes for Gor Mahia, bringing on Lawrence Juma, Shariff Musa, and Bryson Wangai for Musa Masika, Philemon Otieno, and Alpha Onyango.
However, despite the fresh legs, Gor Mahia failed to break down Police FC’s defense.
The final substitutions for Gor Mahia came in the 86th minute, as Levin Odhiambo and Alphonce Omija were replaced by Mark Shaban and Rogers Ouma. Yet, the changes did not alter the game’s outcome as Police FC secured all three points.
Gor Mahia will face Kariobangi Sharks in their next match, while Police FC will square off against Kakamega Homeboyz.
ALSO READ: Rwanda announces intention to bid for Formula 1 Grand Prix