- Gor Mahia played to a 1-1 draw with AFC Leopards in the second leg of the Mashemeji Derby, held at the Raila Odinga Stadium in Homa Bay County.
- Following the setback, Gor Mahia interim coach Zedekiah “Zico” Otieno has conceded defeat in the title race to Kenya Police FC.
- He stated that the team will now shift focus to the FKF Cup final, where they will face Nairobi United.
Gor Mahia interim coach Zedekiah “Zico” Otieno has admitted defeat in the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) 24/25 title race following a disappointing 1-1 draw against AFC Leopards in Monday’s Mashemeji Derby.
K’Ogalo needed nothing less than a victory in this crucial fixture to narrow the deficit behind the law enforcers to just four points. However, the setback leaves them trailing by six points (61 to 55) with only two matches remaining.
Austin Odhiambo opened the scoring for Gor Mahia in the first half, giving fans hope for a crucial win.
But a second-half strike from Brian Wanyama dashed those hopes, denying Gor maximum points in their debut Mashemeji Derby at the Raila Odinga Stadium in Homa Bay.
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Despite the result, Gor still retain a slim chance, but their hopes now hinge on Police dropping points in their remaining fixtures against Shabana and Gor Mahia.
A draw would not suffice, as Police require just a single point, while Gor must secure victories against Ulinzi Stars and Police themselves. Goal difference could prove decisive, with Gor currently holding the advantage.
Defensive lapses costed Gor a win in the Mashemeji Derby
Reacting to the setback, Zico who was leading the side for only the second time after a semifinal Cup victory over Murang’a SEAL lamented a lapse in defensive focus that led to the equalizer.
I think a lack of concentration in defense cost us today,” Otieno said post-match.
Zico, clearly frustrated, pointed to recurring issues that have plagued the team in recent fixtures.
“In our previous game (SEAL), we conceded from a throw-in, and today again from a set-piece. It’s something we can work on going forward, but I’m very disappointed because this is a match we had planned to win.”
The former Gor Mahia defender acknowledged that the title is now virtually out of reach, citing the growing gap between his team and Police FC. The team will now shift focus to the FKF Cup final, where they face Nairobi United.
I don’t think there’s any other chance for us apart from the knockout games, because you can see now the gap is widening between us and Police. Now we can’t talk about the league we can only go back and concentrate on the FKF Cup.”
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