Bandari frustrate Gor Mahia days after AFC Leopards defeat
By Joel Masibo, December 12, 2025Inconsistent Bandari FC came from behind to hold record champions Gor Mahia to a frustrating 1-1 draw in a Football Kenya Federation Premier League tie staged at the Mbaraki Stadium on Friday, December 12, 2025.
K’Ogalo, looking to put their Mashemeji Derby sorrow against AFC Leopards aside, sought redemption against the Dockers, who are having technical setbacks in the ongoing league. The draw means Gor Mahia have now gone three consecutive matches without a win the country’s top flight league.
Charles Akonnor’s men asserted their authority early, controlling possession and dictating the tempo for much of the first half. The pressure was finally rewarded just after the half-hour mark.
Early lead
In the 31st minute, forward Ebenezer Adu-Kwaw found the breakthrough, calmly slotting home to give K’Ogalo a deserved lead and send the travelling fans into raptures. Thanks to some fine work by Musa Shariff, who outpaced his marker to burst into the area and place a neat low cross for Adu-Kwaw to tap in.
However, the resilient hosts fought their way back into the contest after the break. Their perseverance paid off in the 60th minute when Bandari won a dangerous set-piece opportunity, allowing Geoffrey Otunga to level the scores.
The final half-hour saw both sides push aggressively for a winner, with end-to-end action creating nervous moments for each defence. Despite several promising attacks and half-chances for both teams, the decisive second goal remained elusive for Gor Mahia.
The final whistle confirmed a share of the points, a fair reflection of the closely contested battle. Head coach Charles Akonnor stated that he would have won the match considering the chances that his side created.
Missed chances
“We had a good plan, and fortunately, we scored in the first half. We were aware we couldn’t play our game here because of the field, and we wanted to go direct and press,” Gor Mahia head coach Charles Akonnor said.
“Second half, the energy we had in the first half went down a little bit, but we managed to get chances, and it needed a little bit of cleverness, and I thought we would have won today,” he added.
The draw keeps K’Olo at the top of the league standings with 20 points, a position secured by a superior goal difference. The team will now regroup to focus on the next fixture.