Gor Mahia assistant coach Mensah highlights positives from Simba test

• Gor Mahia assistant coach Bismark Mensah shared key takeaways from their international friendly against Tanzanian heavyweights Simba SC.
• The Kenyan champions fell 2-0 to Simba during the Simba Day 2025 celebrations.
• The match was held at the Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, drawing a packed crowd.

Gor Mahia assistant coach Bismark Mensah remains confident about the club’s future despite a 2-0 defeat to Simba SC on Wednesday night in Tanzania during an international friendly match. The record Kenyan champions were invited to grace the 17^th edition of Simba Day and the 89^th anniversary of the club.

The two hard-fought goals were scored by Mohammed Hamza and Steven Mukwala, who ensured the Tanzanian heavyweights concluded their celebrations on a high at a packed Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium.

Nonetheless, the match served as an opportunity for K’Ogalo to assess their squad ahead of the upcoming Premier League season, which kicks off in a week.

Gor Mahia use friendly match vs Simba to assess squad ahead of new season

Speaking to the SportPesa Blog after the match, Ghanaian international Mensah expressed satisfaction with the team’s overall performance, noting that the objective was not solely about the scoreline, but evaluating the players’ cohesion and tactical response.

It’s been a very good match for us because it’s not only about the result but also the performance and the actions of the players, and how they can play as a team.

We think at the end of the game we have seen that the players can do even better than we expected. We are not fully ready, but I think we have done well and we have assessed the players.”

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He further highlighted how Silvester Owino and Michael Kibwage stabilized the defense, while also reaffirming that the future looks promising for the club.

When you look at the two center-backs who were coming from the national team duty, this was the first time they were playing with us and I think it was important to bring them in, and I must say, the outlook for the future is promising,” he added.

Gor Mahia assistant coach Bismark Mensah breaks down key takeaways from his debut match

Bismark also reflected on the lessons he gathered in his first assignment since being appointed, noting that the players are quick to grasp instructions.

He also praised Alpha Onyango and the midfield for linking up effectively.

The players know each other a bit and they easily understand the information given to them quickly. We haven’t been here for a long time, and I think we saw most of what we wanted to see,” he explained.

I think it was just unfortunate that we did not manage to score. We conceded the second goal, but the morale still improved. The substitutions we made also helped. We had a very talented midfield and they jelled well. As I said, the future is really bright for us.”

Now, with these insights, Gor Mahia have returned home to prepare for the coming season, during which they will be seeking to reclaim their title under the new technical bench led by Charles Akonnor and Bismark.