- Gor Mahia vs Shabana will face off on Saturday, March 21, in the second leg of the 2025/26 SportPesa League season.
- The match will be staged at Nyayo National Stadium from 4:15pm EAT.
- This will mark the 42nd meeting between the two sides.
SportPesa League fans are in for a treat on Saturday, March 21, with a blockbuster encounter as Gor Mahia will be hosting Shabana FC at the Nyayo National Stadium from 4:15pm EAT.
This clash may not traditionally rank among the fiercest rivalries, but in most recent years this fixture has grabbed the attention of many fans as they anticipate a truly pulsating affair.
Traditionally, the Mashemeji Derby pitting AFC Leopards against Gor Mahia, has been the biggest showdown to dominate the SportPesa League waves for a while, not only in Kenya but also as a continental spectacle that has drawn plenty of eyes.
Gor Mahia vs Shabana FC: Behind the SportPesa League must-watch fixture
But since Shabana earned promotion back to the top flight in 2023, they have been one of the hot topics in the league ever since.
Their rise has been fueled by a massive fanbase that only two of the SportPesa League giants, Ingwe and K’Ogalo, have enjoyed for a long stretch.
At home especially, Shabana’s gate collections have spoken for themselves at Gusii Stadium, where they have been raking in hundreds of thousands, and even millions, consistently.
On that note, the Tore Bobe boys might not have won any top-flight title, but what they have built as a community has elevated their status.
This showdown against Gor Mahia speaks for itself- what some might call a SportPesa Derby, as both sides are backed by the leading online gaming firm SportPesa. Others might even go further and labell it a Nyanza Derby, since both teams hail from the same region.
This season, things have particularly heated up, especially as both sides are in the title race. While Shabana sits third on the log, 13 points behind Gor, who lead the pack with 53 points, Shabana have 40.
It will all get more intense on Saturday, especially for Shabana if they manage to halt Gor Mahia’s momentum.
And as much as it can be called that, with fans heating up their banter online, we take a look at how long these two sides have met in their history of being in the top tier.
Gor Mahia vs Shabana FC head to head record
According to records published by K’Ogalo on their website, the history between Gor Mahia and Shabana stretches back to 1985, when Shabana earned promotion to the top flight for the first time.
Their first-ever meeting in Nairobi ended in a 3–1 victory, with George Onyango, Hesbon Omollo, and Gideon Hamisi on target, while Henry Motego netted Shabana’s consolation.
In the return leg in Kisii, the Obwaka brothers; William Obwaka and Enock Obwaka -delivered a 2–0 win to complete a commanding double. Gor Mahia would go on to win the first seven meetings between the sides, asserting early control over the rivalry.
Shabana had to wait until the second leg of the 1988 season for their first victory, when Richard Otambo scored the decisive goal in a 1–0 result. They followed that with two draws in 1989, showing signs of growing competitiveness.
However, the 1990s began with Gor Mahia reasserting dominance. Peter Dawo and Anthony Ndolo led the charge in a 3–0 win in March 1990, with Dawo scoring twice.
ALSO READ: Shabana frustrate Gor Mahia in tense goalless draw at Gusii
The return fixture mirrored that dominance, with Ndolo grabbing a brace and Dawo adding another as K’Ogalo marched toward reclaiming the league title.
That period sparked another strong run, with Gor Mahia going six matches unbeaten before Otambo once again proved a thorn in their side, scoring a brace in a 2–0 Shabana win in 1992.
Even so, Gor Mahia quickly responded with another impressive streak going seven matches unbeaten, including six consecutive wins before they suffered their third defeat in the fixture, a narrow 2–1 loss in June 1996.
The only other blemish came in October 2004, when Shabana secured a 1–0 victory. Two seasons later, they were relegated, pausing this fixture until their recent return to the top tier.
Since Shabana’s promotion back to the league, Gor Mahia have maintained their upper hand, going unbeaten in recent meetings and currently on a seven-match unbeaten run.
In their latest stretch since Shabana’s return, K’Ogalo have won three and drawn two of their five encounters.
The most recent meeting was in the first leg of this campaign at Gusii Stadium, where both sides shared the spoils in a goalless draw.
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This will mark the 42nd meeting ever between these two sides, and each comes with a different objective.
Gor, aim to stretch the title race gap to 13 points over AFC Leopards and 16 over Shabana, while Shabana – seeking only their fifth win against the mens with green and white will be aiming to cut the margin to 10 points in this Round 25 clash.
All of which makes this SportPesa Derby a cracker to watch.
Gor Mahia vs Shabana head-to-head record and recent meeting
- Matches Played: 41
- Wins: 25
- Draws: 12
- Losses: 4
- Goals scored: 60
- Goals conceded: 22
Five recent SportPesa League matches
- 11 Jan 2026: Shabana 0–0 Gor Mahia
- 4 May 2025: Shabana 0–1 Gor Mahia
- 11 Dec 2024: Gor Mahia 1–1 Shabana FC
- 11 May 2024: Gor Mahia 1–0 Shabana FC
- 1 Nov 2023: Shabana 0–1 Gor Mahia
Peter Dawo leads the scoring charts in this fixture with seven goals, followed by Anthony Ndolo (5), Hesbon Omollo (4), and Mike Otieno (3).