Gor Mahia did their talking on the pitch with a professional 2-0 win over Mathare United at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, then the night took a twist as a handshake saga stole the spotlight. In this report on the Gor Mahia vs Mathare United Match and Aftermath, we unpack the goals, the tactics, and the touchline tensions that followed the final whistle.
The result at Kasarani and how it unfolded
The champions kept their momentum, seeing off the Slum Boys with goals from Shariff Musa and Bryson Wangai. The match crackled with intent, and while the first half offered Mathare hope, Gor Mahia’s second half clarity made the difference.
Mathare United began with poise, using the ball well and threatening through Patrice Esombe and Kevin Ouru, who each came close to an opener. Gor Mahia absorbed those moments, then found their rhythm after the interval, a reminder of the champions’ knack for patience before precision.
Three minutes after the restart, the deadlock finally broke and Musa punished the hosts with a tidy finish that confirmed Gor Mahia’s grip on the contest. The Slum Boys pushed back, but in stoppage time Wangai finished a swift counter to secure a 2-0 win that felt both clinical and composed.
A tactical chess match that turned green
Charles Akonnor’s assessment was direct, praising tactical maturity and the ability to adjust on the fly. He noted Mathare’s patient build-up and insistence on possession, a style that forced Gor Mahia to pick their moments, especially in wide areas where space eventually opened up.
We were aware of their style, they like to keep the ball and play patiently. In the first half, we struggled to close them down but used the wide areas well. When they switched to a back three, it actually favoured us, and that is how our first goal came. The boys executed our plan perfectly.
On the other side, John Kamau explained that preparation was not ideal after a taxing trip from Kisii and a hard-fought win over Shabana. He revealed Mathare had just a single training session before facing the champions, and that reality shaped their approach and energy levels across the ninety minutes.
I think first of all, in terms of performance-wise, I am happy with the boys, but result-wise, I am not happy. We have just had one session with the boys after traveling from Kisii, and the previous game was a tough one, so we had to come up with a solution to make it a little bit simpler for the players.
Kamau also highlighted the problem Gor Mahia’s wing threat posed, singling out Musa’s duels on the flank in the first half. An early lapse, he admitted, opened the door for the champions and turned the balance of the contest, especially once the game stretched after the opener.
We had some problems with Shariff because he was dominating in the duel with my wing back. An early mistake leading to the first goal was frustrating, especially because we had just addressed it in the dressing room. We also created two big chances in the first half but did not convert.
Once behind, Mathare tried to press higher and disrupt Gor Mahia’s build-up, seeking quick turnovers and territory. The champions, however, rode the pressure, kept compact in midfield, and waited for the late moment that Wangai delivered to end the contest.
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The handshake snub that lit up the touchline
After the final whistle, emotions simmered. As the media spoke with Gor Mahia’s Enock Morisson, an attempted greeting between the benches became the flashpoint. Akonnor approached John Kamau for a handshake, but the Mathare coach declined. The exchange escalated quickly, drawing in assistant coach Kobi Bismark-Mensah, and it took stewards and staff from both clubs to calm the scene.
Akonnor framed the incident as a misunderstanding, saying he had missed a pre-match greeting and then sought one afterward. He acknowledged the sting of defeat for any coach, though he took issue with what he described as words that crossed a line.
He wanted to greet me before the game but I was not around. After the match, I wanted to say hello but he did not want to. He was not in a happy mood, having lost and I can understand him. But to use certain words is not acceptable in our sport.
Kamau countered that principle guided his choice, not malice, noting that the Gor Mahia staff had passed behind the Mathare bench before kick off without a word. If there was no greeting then, he reasoned, there was no need for one after the result had been settled.
It was very simple, just the heat of the game. If you do not greet me before the game, why would you want to greet me after the game. Everyone has their reasons, and I had mine. I think the issue was made bigger than it was. We are professionals. If you do not greet me, I will not greet you. I did not feel disrespected, but my only concern was that they passed right behind our technical bench without saying anything. That is a clear message, and I respect it.
He also dismissed any whispers about superstition or off-pitch antics. The Mathare coach was unequivocal about where his beliefs stand and made it clear the moment was not colored by anything beyond emotion and etiquette.
I do not know anything about that. I do not believe in such things. I am a Christian, I believe in the rosary, and that is it.
In the end, both benches agreed on one thing, the moment was heated and avoidable. The cameras, the crowd, and the context magnified it, and what began as a missed greeting became a headline that risked overshadowing a well-earned win.
Why the etiquette matters in a high stakes league
Handshakes can read as small gestures, yet in the FKF Premier League they carry symbolic weight. They are the shared language of respect in a league striving for standards, and when they break down, the conversation can drift from football to friction.
By the accounts from both sides, the spark was a pre-match miss, then a post-match refusal that spilled into words. As Akonnor put it, certain phrases should stay outside the touchline, while Kamau maintained that consistency mattered more than optics. In a season where every point counts, managing these small rituals can protect the bigger picture.
Gor Mahia’s growing momentum
Beyond the flashpoint, the football was unequivocal. Since a tight defeat to Bidco United, Gor Mahia have stitched together a run that now includes victories against Sofapaka by 2-0, KCB by 1-0, Posta Rangers by 3-0, and this 2-0 over Mathare United. It is a sequence that speaks to discipline, depth, and belief.
Akonnor brushed aside the idea of headlines about statements or warnings to rivals. He prefers the quieter message of steady evolution, players learning the system, and substitutes syncing with starters. The champions, he suggested, are more concerned with rhythm than noise.
We are just playing our football. Even in our first match, which we lost, we played very well and created chances. We are improving every week, the players understand our system, and even those coming off the bench fit right in. Football is a learning process, and we are all growing together.
The performance against Mathare mirrored that ethos, problem solving on the touchline and composure on the field. When the hosts tweaked their shape, Gor Mahia attacked the spaces and punished the openings. The second goal, arriving at the end of a measured counter, was the imprint of a team comfortable under pressure.
Mathare United’s lessons and the road ahead
There was no hiding from the result for Kamau, but there was context and conviction. He pointed to the travel from Kisii, the one-session prep, and the physical toll of the win over Shabana. He also noted that the plan to press higher after conceding created moments, yet against seasoned opponents, missed chances rarely go unpunished.
Mathare’s first half showed poise and purpose, and the two unconverted opportunities could have reshaped the narrative. Against Gor Mahia, margins are thin and transitions are ruthless. For a youthful group, there were takeaways about concentration, duels in wide channels, and the timing of tactical shifts.
Their next test arrives quickly, a meeting with AFC Leopards on Sunday, November 2. Recovery, clarity, and a sharper edge in the box will be the core themes as they seek a response that turns performance into points.
Scenes you might have missed
As the war of words flickered, it did so almost as an uninvited sideshow to a live interview. Media were speaking with Enock Morisson when the altercation flared nearby, and the presence of cameras intensified the scrutiny. It was a reminder of how easily post-match rituals can become part of the broadcast.
Stewards and club staff moved swiftly to separate the benches and cool the temperature. There was no further incident, and both teams headed down the tunnel with the points, the pride, and the narrative already set in motion. The focus, as both coaches later urged, must return to the grass.
What the night told us
First, the champions are increasingly adept at timing their surge, holding steady through early storms and striking when structure tilts their way. Second, Mathare United are on a path that values process, even when the scoreboard disagrees, and that balance between development and results will define their next steps.
Finally, etiquette remains a delicate part of the spectacle. A handshake can speak louder than a statement, and when it is absent, the echoes travel far. As the season stretches, both benches will know that keeping the plot on the pitch is the surest way to honor the work put in during the week.
