- Gor Mahia thrashed by minnows APS Bomet as the SportPesa League giants suffer a shock defeat.
- The win ended Gor Mahia’s 7-match unbeaten streak.
- It was only APS Bomet’s second win of the season.
Record Kenyan champions Gor Mahia were handed their biggest defeat in the 25/26 SportPesa League season after succumbing to a 1-4 thrashing in a rescheduled midweek encounter staged at Nyayo National Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.
Despite having taken an early lead in the fifth minute courtesy of George Amonoo who scored his first goal for the club since joining at the start of the season, Gor capitulated as former AFC Leopards man Hansel Ochieng scored a hat trick to guide the league debutants to a major upset against K’Ogalo.
Rodgers Kipkemoi drove the final nail in the coffin with a well-dinked effort that saw the Bomet-coached side end their four-match winless run and seal the three points in what was their first-ever meeting with the 21-time Kenyan champions.
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Gor Mahia vs APS Bomet match report
What was expected to be a routine assignment for the record champions quickly turned into a nightmare, as the struggling Bomet outfit delivered their most complete performance of the campaign.
With the derby against AFC Leopards only days away, Gor head coach Charles Akonnor opted to rotate heavily, making wholesale changes to the squad that had beaten Tusker in their previous match.
Only goalkeeper Byrne Omondi and defender Mike Kibwage retained their starting spots as the Ghanaian tactician attempted to protect key players for Saturday’s high-stakes clash.
APS Bomet, knowing the importance of the fixture and desperate to rescue their season, approached the match with a full-strength team.
Bernard Wanjala handed Hansel Ochieng’ a starting role, and the forward repaid that faith with a career-defining performance.
Bomet began with intent, showing none of the hesitation expected from a team buried at the bottom of the table in the SportPesa League.
Hansel issued the first warning as early as the second minute, latching onto a loose ball outside the box. Though his effort went wide, it was a sign of things to come.
Gor Mahia, despite fielding an unfamiliar lineup, took the lead in the fifth minute when Lawrence Juma swung in a corner that fell kindly for Amonoo.
The Ghanaian forward reacted quickest, smashing in his first goal for the club, a redeeming moment after conceding a penalty in their 1-0 loss against Bidco United earlier in the season at Kasarani Stadium.
APS Bomet complete remarkable turnaround
But rather than settle, Gor Mahia’s early goal only awakened APS Bomet. The away side grew stronger with every minute, pushing the former champions deeper and exposing the lack of chemistry in Gor’s rotated squad.
Their persistence paid off when Kibwage conceded a penalty, which Hansel coolly slotted past Omondi to level the scores.
Bomet completed their turnaround moments before halftime. Former AFC Leopards forward Hansel again found space in the penalty area and fired a low shot into the bottom corner to make it 2–1.
Akonnor reacted by throwing in his trusted names Austine Odhiambo, Enock Morrison, Shariff Musa and Paul Ochuoga but the momentum had already shifted against them.
Shariff Musa nearly made an instant impact with a teasing cross that Aduk-waw headed narrowly wide, but Gor Mahia’s push for an equalizer continually met resistance from the disciplined Bomet backline.
As Gor Mahia poured numbers forward, APS Bomet struck on the counter. In the 78th minute, Hansel completed his hat-trick after Omondi failed to hold onto a stinging shot, pouncing on the rebound to make it 3–1.
With K’Ogalo deflated and fans already walking out, Bomet delivered the final blow. Former Sofapaka forward Rodgers Kipkemoi broke free in the 87th minute and cleverly dinked the ball over the advancing Omondi, sealing a famous 4–1 victory.
The win, APS Bomet’s second of the season after beating Kariobangi Sharks earlier, lifts them to 17th in the standings and injects new life into their survival fight.
Gor Mahia, meanwhile, are left to pick up the pieces ahead of the Mashemeji Derby hoping that the heavy defeat does not dent their confidence at the worst possible time.