FKFPL: Gor Mahia eye Sofapaka scalp in pursuit of first league win as Homeboyz kickstart campaign

FKF Premier League giants Gor Mahia will be seeking their first win of the season when they take on Sofapaka in a match day two league match set for today, Saturday 27 September.

The match which will begin at 1600hrs will be the second of a double header at the Dandora Stadium.

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K’Ogalo head to the match on the back of a 1-0 loss to Bidco United in their opening match of the season, much to the disappointment of their fans.

Ghanaian coach Charles Akonnor, who was confronted by a section of fans after the Bidco match, promised the Green Army an improved performance and a win in the Sofapaka clash.

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Akonnor’s main aim this season is to reclaim the league title that eluded them last season, when they finished second to Kenya Police FC.

The former Ghana national team head coach is expected to make changes to the starting line up by starting with more new signings, especially the ones that played in the 2024 African Nations Championship.

Sofapaka, on the other hand, secured a 1-1 draw with AFC Leopards in their opening match, and will be out to also record their first win of the season.

After losing several key first team players, Batoto Ba Mungu head coach Ezekiel Akwana has been working round the clock to create a winning team and one that will be competitive in the season.

However, Akwana will be worried that the 2009 league champions have not won any of their last 10 league matches against Gor Mahia, with their last win coming back in February 2020.

At Awendo Green Stadium, Mara Sugar will play host to Mozzart Bet-sponsored Kakamega Homeboyz from 1400hrs in what will be the first match of the season for both teams who sat out of the season opener.

The Sugar Millers managed to retain their league status last season, and in their second season, will be keen to record better results and avoid a dalliance with the relegation zone.

Coach Edward Manoah improved his squad and added more attackers to the team in a bid to solve their shortcomings last season.

Homeboyz, on the other hand, shook off a poor start last season and staged an improved second half of the season to finish third in the league last season.

Speaking ahead of the encounter, club captain and longest-serving player Moses Mudavadi described the match as a “must-win contest,” while acknowledging the challenge posed by Mara’s head coach, a familiar figure to the Homeboyz camp.

Moses Mudavadi ©Rodgers Odhiambo

Manoah previously had multiple stints with the Kakamega outfit and knows the players’ strengths and weaknesses all too well.

"It will be a tight match because Coach Manoah has been with us before. He understands most of us and how we play, so by all standards it will not be easy. Last season we endured one of our worst defeats at Awendo, and we must undo that record by starting the season positively on Saturday,” Mudavadi stated.

For Homeboyz, this is more than just about revenge, but about laying down a marker for the season ahead.

The club has flirted with glory on multiple occasions, coming painfully close to clinching the league title.

They finished as runners-up in the 2019/20 and 2021/22 seasons and settled for third place last term with 58 points, seven shy of eventual champions Kenya Police.

To Mudavadi, those near-misses are no longer enough.

"It’s time to win the league title and create history. We have come close in about three seasons. Now we must go a step further and fight for the crown because this is the year to write history once again,” he declared with conviction

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Yet, Homeboyz enter the campaign mindful of a recurring problem: sluggish starts.

Last season, under coach Kenneth Kenyatta, the team struggled in the opening fixtures, going winless for several weeks before finally finding rhythm midway through the campaign under coach Baraza.

That slow start proved costly in the title race, leaving them playing catch-up while their rivals pulled ahead.

Mudavadi insists the story must be different this time around.

"We have had slow starts to the season, and that has always hurt our title ambitions. This year, we must begin strongly and show intent from the first match."

In the other match of the day, Posta Rangers take on Tusker at Dandora Stadium from 1300 hrs.

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