The first days of December have offered a raw snapshot of Kenyan football, with the Kenyan Premier League and NSL updates telling a story of pressure, tactical revolutions and clubs fighting for survival and promotion across the country.
From Kasarani to Gusii and Marist Grounds in Karen, coaches have put reputations on the line, new philosophies are being tested in real time and players are discovering that every lost duel or missed chance has consequences in a season where the margins are brutally small.
Bidco United anger, Posta Rangers rebirth and the start of the Korea era
At Kasarani Annex, Bidco United’s 1-0 loss to Posta Rangers was more than just a routine FKF Premier League defeat, it was a public reckoning. Head coach Antony Akhulia did not hide his frustration after Brian Chonjo’s 30th minute strike sealed the result and stretched Bidco’s winless run to six matches.
Akhulia, who once patrolled midfield for Bidco himself, spoke with a mix of hurt and authority. He warned that some players had reached the end of the road under his watch, insisting that top flight football has clear demands that his current squad is not consistently meeting.
“There are players here that I feel their time is done. I cannot have players who do not know what should be done in the Premier League,” he told Mozzart Sport, adding that signings at this level must understand the reality of top tier football.
What stung Akhulia most was not just the result, but the manner of it. At home, with the chance to arrest a worrying run, he watched Bidco abandon their game plan, revert to long balls and lose their structure. For a team that has been in the league for six seasons, his verdict was damning. “We are playing like an amateur team,” he said, a line that will surely echo in the dressing room all week.
The defeat also came with a sobering warning from the coach as Bidco prepare to visit a resurgent Shabana next. With their poor form and tactical indiscipline, Akhulia openly questioned what would happen to his side away in Gusii if they could not handle Posta at home.
Collins Korea Omondi promises attacking football at Posta
On the opposite bench, the mood could not have been more different. Interim head coach Collins Korea Omondi began his tenure in charge of Posta Rangers with that precious 1-0 win, and with it, a clear declaration of intent on how he wants his team to play.
After replacing Sammy Pamzo Omollo, who is headed to APS Bomet, Omondi spoke of a shift in identity. He does not want his team to sit back. Instead, he sees defending as something done high up the pitch, with the ball, by forcing the opposition into their own half.
“Expect more attacking football. I do not believe in sitting back. We will always look for goals then think of defending once we score,” he said, while also noting that his side would adapt to different opponents but always with an attacking mind.
In many ways, the win over Bidco was the first real expression of that philosophy. Posta had gone six matches without victory, scoring only three times and conceding 10 in that run. For Omondi, the message before facing Bidco was simple, do not fear, attack first, then defend the lead.
He reminded observers that there had been a recent match in which Posta failed to register even a single shot on target against Sofapaka, a statistic that bothered him deeply. The response in his first match was to turn up the aggression, push higher and use the ball as a defensive tool.
The impact was immediate. The Mailmen climbed to fourth on 16 points, ending their poor run and giving themselves a platform ahead of their next assignment against Nairobi United. For a club in transition, that early clarity in style under Korea could be crucial.
Matchweek 11 lessons in a fiercely competitive FKF Premier League
Beyond the Bidco and Posta story, Matchweek 11 in the FKF Premier League underlined just how tight and unforgiving this season has become. With Gor Mahia not in action due to the postponed Mashemeji Derby, the door was open for rivals to climb. Very few truly took advantage.
Tusker’s hot and cold season carries on
Tusker FC provided one of the weekend’s key results with a 1-0 away win over Mara Sugar at Awendo Green Stadium, a victory that arrived at an important moment for coach Charles Okere. A towering header from Thomas Omole broke a run of two straight losses and offered a measure of relief.
The Brewers have been one of the most unpredictable sides in the campaign. After 11 matches they had four wins, four defeats and three draws, numbers that place them sixth on 15 points, four behind Gor Mahia, who have played two games fewer.
For a club used to chasing titles, the concern is not talent but consistency. Okere will know that the next fixture, at home to Ulinzi Stars at St. Sebastian Park in Murang’a, is less about statements and more about stability. If Tusker are to mount any serious push, this erratic pattern must end.
A league where every win transforms the table
If one theme has defined the 2025/26 FKF Premier League season so far, it is competitiveness. After 11 rounds, only eight points separate leaders Gor Mahia and Mathare United in the relegation zone. The table is so compressed that one victory can launch a team several places up, while a defeat can drag them into trouble.
Shabana are a perfect illustration. Despite a difficult run, one big result against Kenya Police was enough to lift them from 10th to fourth, before they finally settled in fifth after Posta’s later win over Bidco. It is a reminder that no side, whether chasing the title or fighting to avoid the drop, can afford to switch off.
Shabana’s gritty win without Michira
In Gusii, Shabana delivered one of the standout performances of Matchweek 11 by beating defending champions Kenya Police FC away, and doing so without their injured star man Brian Michira. A single goal from Gilbert Abala in the 28th minute separated the sides and offered a huge boost to the Glamour Boys.
The match also drew attention off the pitch, with Shabana fans complaining about the ticket pricing by Police. Regular seats went at 500 shillings, believed to be the highest in the league so far, with VIP and VVIP priced at 2500 and 3000 respectively. In spite of that controversy, Shabana’s focus and resilience on the pitch shone through.
They will now have head coach Peter Okidi back on the touchline when they host Bidco United, after he returned from duty with the Junior Stars at the U17 AFCON CECAFA qualifiers, which ended in disappointment. His reunion with the squad could not be better timed as they seek to consolidate their revival.
Homeboyz and Kenya Police waste their chance to go top
With Gor Mahia idle, Kenya Police and Kakamega Homeboyz both had the opportunity to hit the summit. Neither took it. For Homeboyz, a 1-1 draw with KCB meant the door to top spot slammed shut for the third time this season. The chance keeps coming, but each time they seem unable to walk through it.
Police suffered even more as they fell to that Shabana defeat. Homeboyz now sit level with Gor on 19 points, but with a worse goal difference, while Police remain two points further back. The storyline at the top is simple, no one is pulling clear, and the title race looks set for a long, nervy grind.
APS Bomet and the Mozzart Bet effect
At the other end of the table, APS Bomet are starting to find their feet in the top flight. The league newcomers opened the season with three consecutive losses, but recent weeks have brought a clear upturn in form and mood.
In a week where they secured an 11 million shilling sponsorship package from Mozzart Bet, the Law Enforcers collected four points from two away fixtures, just enough to pull themselves off the very bottom. Financial stability has translated into belief, and their performances are beginning to reflect that.
There is another interesting pattern. Eight of their nine points have been picked up in Nairobi, far from their Bomet base. The capital has quietly become a welcoming home away from home as they acclimatise to Premier League standards.
The ripple effect of these changes is already being felt elsewhere. Sammy Pamzo Omollo’s impending arrival from Posta is part of Bomet’s bigger step into the league spotlight, and it will be fascinating to see how his experience blends with the club’s new sense of direction.
AFC Leopards, under pressure and still searching, held by Sharks
While Gor Mahia waited for the Mashemeji Derby to be rescheduled, AFC Leopards had their own test at Kasarani against a struggling Kariobangi Sharks side. What emerged was a tense 1-1 draw that did little to calm the nerves in the Leopards camp ahead of their clash with K’Ogalo.
Sharks, who began the day rooted in the relegation zone, struck first in the eighth minute. Humphrey Aroko burst through the Leopards defence, with Randi Bakari and Vincent Mahiga unable to halt his run, then beat goalkeeper Humphrey Katasi with a shot that hit the far post before going in.
Ingwe fans had come with expectations and reminders. One section of supporters unfurled a banner bearing a blunt message, “Winners do not give excuses.” For a club with such a rich history, the frustration with a three match winless run was palpable from the terraces.
AFC Leopards started brightly and created a flurry of early chances, but Aroko’s opener turned the match on its head. The concession seemed to unnerve the visitors, with their play growing disjointed as passes went astray and the earlier rhythm evaporated.
Captain Victor Omune, however, refused to let the game drift. In the 27th minute he slalomed past defenders on the left wing and found himself one on one with Sharks debutant goalkeeper Collins Omondi, only to hit the side netting. It was a warning sign that Sharks did not fully heed.
The equaliser finally arrived in the 61st minute. A free kick from James Kinyanjui was delivered into the danger area and Omune rose to meet it, steering his header past Omondi. It was a familiar torment for Sharks, who have now seen Omune score five of Leopards’ seven goals against them in league meetings.
The goal revived the Ingwe faithful, with drum beats, chants and songs surging again around Kasarani. Yet the game remained on a knife edge. Sharks carved out another golden chance in the 73rd minute when substitute Markvivian Kesa just failed to connect with a cross from the left. Later, captain Patila Omoto and Wayne Mbuya both threatened from free kicks, and Leopards needed another sharp Omondi save to deny substitute Julius Masaba in the 81st minute.
In the end, neither side could find a winner. The draw left Sharks 17th on seven points, their assistant coach Edward Seda insisting that Leopards had escaped with a point by chance. From the Leopards dugout, head coach Fred Ambani chose to highlight the contribution of Omune, noting that he has been rotating his forwards and that the captain had delivered when needed.
Ambani did not hide his irritation with the match officials, accusing them of having a fixed mind, but he also accepted the reality facing his team. AFC Leopards remain third on 14 points and will head into the Mashemeji Derby with that three match winless streak still hanging over them.
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National Super League drama as promotion dreams and survival fights intensify
While the FKF Premier League wrestles with pressure and parity, the National Super League is serving its own blend of tension, with promotion hopefuls and relegation battlers trading blows in a congested midweek schedule.
Darajani Gogo edge Naivas in headline clash
At Marist Grounds in Karen, Darajani Gogo and Naivas FC met in one of the most intriguing fixtures of the week. Both sides came into the game wounded, Gogo after a 2-1 defeat to leaders Migori Youth and Naivas following a 2-0 loss to Luanda Villa.
Before that slip against Migori, Gogo had quietly built momentum with back to back 1-0 wins over Soy United and Kibera Black Stars, plus a goalless draw with Mwatate United. Their home record has been one of their pillars, three wins from five matches at Marist, and it showed again as they carved out a 1-0 victory over Naivas, thanks to a decisive strike from Edmond Bala.
The result had major implications. Gogo climbed to fifth on 17 points and reaffirmed Marist as a difficult place for visitors. Naivas, chasing an FKF Premier League promotion push that has agonisingly eluded them for two straight seasons, slipped to seventh and missed the chance to go second.
The historical pattern between the sides has often been tight, with one Gogo win and five draws in six previous meetings. This latest chapter fit that narrative of fine margins, but it fell the home team’s way and kept the promotion race as open as ever.
MOFA’s statement comeback and Gucha’s first home defeat
At Gusii Stadium, Gucha Stars and Michael Olunga Football Academy served up a five goal thriller that spoke to the nerve and resilience required in an NSL promotion battle. Gucha arrived with confidence after back to back 2-0 wins over Kisumu All Stars and Mwatate United, and with an impressive home record that had underpinned their rise to 11th on 13 points.
MOFA, in only their second season in the division, came into the game unbeaten in three, with victories over Mombasa United and Fortune Sacco and a draw with Naivas. A commanding 4-0 demolition of second placed Mombasa United over the weekend had propelled them into fourth.
In Gusii, MOFA’s away day anxieties, two previous league defeats on the road and just one win in five away games, were tested again but this time they responded with real character. They overturned the deficit to win 3-2, handing Gucha their first home loss of the campaign and halting the hosts’ winning run.
The victory moved MOFA into third on 19 points, tightening their grip on a promotion chasing position and slightly easing the concern over their form away from Homa Bay. For Gucha, it was a painful reminder that even strong home sides cannot relax for a second in this league.
FC Talanta regain footing as Kabati taste growing pains
At Ruaraka Complex, former FKF Premier League side FC Talanta produced the kind of professional performance that signals intent from a club seeking an immediate return to the top flight. Shaken by a 1-0 defeat to Kisumu All Stars that had abruptly halted their own mini run of two straight wins, Talanta responded with a 2-0 victory over NSL debutants Kabati Youth.
Goals from Brian Lusamukha and Robert Mutie did the damage, and the three points lifted Talanta to fourth place on 19 points, right in touch with the promotion pack and within five points of leaders Migori Youth.
For Kabati, there was some context. They had arrived in Ruaraka buoyed by their first ever NSL win, a 1-0 success over Kibera Black Stars, and hoping for back to back victories that would push them out of the relegation zone. Instead, they were reminded of the gap that still exists between newcomers and well drilled former Premier League outfits.
The task for coach Haji Bilal is now to turn that maiden win into sustained belief. The target remains clear, reach safety and, in the short term, climb to 16th with 10 points and step out of the drop positions.
Kisumu All Stars’ missed opportunity and Equity’s steady rise
Back in Kisumu, All Stars had a chance to stitch together back to back league wins for the first time this season and step out of the relegation zone. They had just stunned FC Talanta 1-0 and returned home to Moi Stadium with confidence to face an Equity FC side looking to maintain their own tune up the table.
The match exploded into life early. All Stars created chance after chance, with the combination of Mark Ochieng and Owidi Kevin repeatedly slicing through Equity’s back line without applying the final touch. Ochieng went close twice in the opening nine minutes, while Wycliffe Opuro and Christopher Onyango also missed big openings.
Persistence finally paid off in first half stoppage time. A flowing move involving Opuro, Owidi and Billy Owour ended with a delivery to Onyango, who controlled and volleyed past goalkeeper Michael Onyango for a 1-0 lead that felt thoroughly deserved.
Two minutes into the second half, Onyango had another golden opportunity to double the advantage but could not convert. That miss would grow in significance as Equity slowly grew back into the match. In the 59th minute, a perfectly floated ball from Ndaikeza Abdi picked out Bevex Kapansa, who lashed into the roof of the net for 1-1.
Both sides pushed for a winner. Equity substitute Maingi Muthoka squandered a one on one chance, while All Stars continued to search for openings, with Onyango again going close late on. In the end, a 1-1 draw felt like a fair reflection of the contest but left contrasting emotions.
Kisumu All Stars remained in 17th with nine points, still stuck in the relegation places and wondering how two potential wins in a row had slipped away. Equity moved to ninth on 15 points, maintaining sight of the leading group but once again failing to significantly cut into Migori Youth’s advantage.
Luanda Villa surge, Nzoia and Soy stall, Vihiga and Mwatate fight to stay afloat
Elsewhere across the NSL, the storyline of small margins and big consequences continued. In Wundanyi, Luanda Villa produced a quietly impressive 1-0 win away to Mwatate United. It marked back to back victories for Villa, building on their 2-0 upset of Naivas.
The result pushed Luanda Villa to 13th place with 13 points and signalled a team finding rhythm just as the season enters its gruelling middle stretch. For Mwatate, still trying to escape the lower reaches, another home defeat deepened the challenge. Coach Evans Mafuta will know that turning Wundanyi into a fortress is non negotiable if safety is to be achieved.
At Sudi Stadium in Bungoma, Nzoia Sugar and Mully Children Family played out a goalless draw that left both sides with mixed feelings. Nzoia had entered the match looking for a third win in ten outings and holding the psychological edge of having beaten MCF 4-0 twice last season. Instead, they ran into a more stubborn opponent and had to settle for a single point.
For MCF, who came in after a 3-1 defeat to Equity had snapped a three match unbeaten run, the result was at least a show of resilience away from home. Interim player coach Ezekiel Okere has been trying to drag more consistency out of a team that has often flickered between solid and fragile.
At Eldoret Showground, Soy United and Vihiga United produced another 0-0 draw that reflected both Soy’s desire to build a platform and Vihiga’s struggle to rediscover their best form. Soy had just taken a morale lifting Mozzart Bet Derby win over 3K FC and wanted consecutive victories for the first time this season, but found no way through. Vihiga, fresh from a 1-0 defeat to Fortune Sacco and stuck in a month long wait for just their second win of the campaign, at least managed to frustrate the hosts.
What these Kenyan Premier League and NSL updates really tell us
Put together, the latest developments in the FKF Premier League and National Super League reveal a football landscape where no one can feel secure. Coaches like Antony Akhulia are being forced into hard decisions, threatening to clear out players who do not meet the standards, while new leaders like Collins Korea Omondi are trying to reshape team identities in a matter of days.
In the top division, giants such as Tusker and AFC Leopards are feeling the heat of expectation as they chase consistency ahead of marquee fixtures. Emerging forces like APS Bomet are showing that financial support, like the Mozzart Bet sponsorship, can quickly change sporting fortunes if paired with smart leadership.
In the NSL, the intensity of the promotion race is matched only by the fear of relegation. Clubs like MOFA, Darajani Gogo and FC Talanta are throwing punches at the top, while Kisumu All Stars, Kabati, Mwatate and others battle for every point just to stay alive.
These are not just scorelines. They are stories of coaches having sleepless nights over tactical discipline, of captains like Victor Omune carrying the expectations of entire fan bases, and of young clubs discovering what it takes to survive and thrive in Kenyan football’s unforgiving tiers.
The next round of fixtures promises more of the same, not just in terms of drama, but in the way this season continues to test character, ambition and the thin line between crisis and momentum.
