Former Soccer Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League champions Gor Mahia finished the 2024/25 campaign empty handed after they suffered a surprise 2-1 pipe versus newly promoted Nairobi United in the final of the domestic FKF Cup at Ulinzi Sports Complex on Sunday.
Having relinquished the Premier League title to Kenya Police FC, Gor Mahia knew the sole way to play continental soccer was to victory the domestic final.
However, they found themselves trailing as early as the sixth minute when Frank Ouya scored, but they levelled matters in the 38th minute across Ben Stanley Omondi.
However, a superb effort from Enock Mashaka gave United a 2-1 lead in the 73rd minute, and regardless Gor Mahia getting a chance to result from the spotkick spot in the 87th minute, goalkeeper Ernest Mohammed dived the right way to deny Alpha Onyango.
Knowing what was at amount, Gor Mahia interim coach Zedekiah ‘Zico’ Otieno went for the strongest side possible with Kevin Omondi getting the nod to start between the sticks while the defensive line revolved around Alphonse Omija, Joshua Onyango, Sylvester Owino, and Bryton Onyona.
Ben Stanley Omondi, Alpha Onyango, and Austin Odhiambo took up the midfield position while Ghanaian import Enoch Morrison and Musa Shariff played after lead forward Benson Omalla.
However, it was Nairobi United under former Harambee Stars midfielder Nicholas Muyoti, who looked the better side from the first exchanges, and they stunned the record Kenyan champions with an early strike in the sixth minute.
United stun Gor Mahia with early leadA mix-up in K’Ogalo’s danger zone allowed forward Frank Ouya to steal the ball and place it past the stretching hands of Kevin Omondi.
Nairobi United should have doubled their lead in the 15th minute when Isaac Omweri found himself unmarked, but his feeble effort could never trouble Omondi.
Gor Mahia started to come into the fixture, and in the 20th minute, the former league champions almost levelled matters when Austin Odhiambo picked out Omija with a looped cross, but the latter took time to aim at strike, allowing a Nairobi United defender to clear the danger.
But Gor Mahia’s relentless attacks paid off in the 38th minute when Ben Stanley Omondi cancelled out Nairobi United's opener.
A move initiated by Odhiambo found Morrison in the right wing, and his attempted cross into the area deflected off a Nairobi United defender.
The ball found Omondi, who powered home a right-footed effort past custodian Ernest Mohammed.
The fixture remained balanced from there on as the two sides went into the half-time halftime tied 1-1.
Unlike the first half, where Nairobi United started strongly, the second period belonged to Gor Mahia, who went on the strike for the second strike from the onset.
Austin Odhiambo, who was captaining K’Ogalo in the absence of defender Philemon Otieno, who was on the bench, tested Mohammed with a long-range effort before Morrison’s effort produced a throw-in.
Nairobi United stunned Gor MahiaNairobi United MediaNairobi United responded with a move initiated by Bernard Ouma, and after going past three Gor Mahia defenders, he spotted Ouya, who was unmarked, but his attempted cross was cut off by Sylvester Owino, and he could never advance to his prospect.
In the 55th minute, Isaac Omweri delivered a cross from the right wing and Duncan Omalla, younger brother to Gor Mahia forward Benson Omalla, rose highest to head home, but K’Ogalo keeper Omondi did well to clear the effort, which was on prospect.
K’Ogalo coach Otieno went for a double change in a offer to freshen up his squad, Shariff Musa and strike scorer Stanley Omondi coming out for Ugandan forward Charles Bbaale and Bryson Wangai, while Nairobi United rested strike scorer Ouya for Michael Karamo.
Gor Mahia’s double change almost produced a strike when Wangai weaved past Nairobi United defenders, but his left-footed effort went over the bar.
After United’s missed opportunity, K’Ogalo made another change, Morrison being rested for Lawrence Juma.
With Gor Mahia pressing for the second, it was Nairobi United, who, rather, went 2-1 up in the 73rd minute.
A quickly taken strike-kick from goalkeeper Mohammed found Karamo, who in turn fed it to Mashaka.
The former Bandari forward spotted Gor Mahia keeper Omondi out of his line and he unleashed a thunderous shot from outside the 18-yard area, which hit the bottom right corner of the trap.
Five minutes later, Gor Mahia thought they had levelled the scores yet again when Omalla slotted home with his right foot but his effort was ruled out for offside.
On the other side, Nairobi United found the back of the trap across Karamo’s diving header but his effort was also ruled out for offside.
Gor Mahia were presented with a good opportunity to level matters in the 87th minute and take the fixture to added time after they were awarded a spotkick.
However, Alpha Onyango’s weak effort from the resultant kick was punched out by Mohammed to keep alive Nairobi United’s hopes of winning their first-always major title.
United resorted to playing a defensive fixture in the added four minutes, and the final whistle ble,w handing them the title and a ticket to represent the country in the CAF Confederation Cup.
Police, who won the league, will go for the Champions League.
Nairobi United also emulated Mathare United, who in 1998 won the Moi Golden Cup as a second-tier squad and earned promotion to the top tier in the same campaign.
How did Gor Mahia and Nairobi United advance to final?Gor Mahia’s road to the final was dominant.
They began their campaign with a 3-0 victory over KSG in the Round of 64, followed by a 5-0 victory versus GAS FC in the Round of 32.
They later dispatched fellow Premier League side Bandari FC 2-0 in the Round of 16 and beat Kariobangi Sharks by the same scoreline in the quarter-finals.
In the semi-finals, Gor Mahia faced a stern trial versus Murang’a Seal, playing out a 2-2 stalemate in regulation time before edging the tie 5-3 in spotkick shootouts.
Meanwhile, Nairobi United enjoyed a fairytale run in this year’s competition.
Their journey began in the Round of 64 with a 3-1 victory over Global Connection, before entering a giant-killing run.
They eliminated Tusker FC in the Round of 32, holding the Brewers to a 1-1 stalemate before winning 5-4 in a spotkick shootout.
In the Round of 16, they repeated the feat, edging out KCB 6-5 on penalties after a 0-0 stalemate.
The quarter-finals saw Nairobi United, nicknamed ‘Naibois’, overpower former Cup winners Kakamega Homeboyz with a commanding 2-0 victory.
In the semi-finals, they faced a resilient Mara Sugar side, drawing 1-1 in regular time before triumphing 3-1 in yet another spotkick shootout.
See a summary of the final here.
Dennis MabukaBetopick
