Five standout moments from FKF Premier League's game-changing weekend

Gor Mahia inch closer to title with SportPesa derby win as Levis Opiyo redeems fans' trust with goalkeepeing heroics in AFC Leopards' win over Bandari to headline five talking points from gameweek 28 of the FKFPL.

Gameweek 28 of the FKF Premier League (FKFPL) left local football enthusiasts with plenty to talk about, from the state of the stadia to performances, both individual and team-based.

It is certainly a week that will certainly go down as one of the most eventful ones of the season. Here  are the main talking points from gameweek 28 of the matchday action:

Ingwe fans rock Dandora Stadium 

When Sports Kenya slapped both AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia with fines for causing damages to sections of the Nyayo National Stadium in the last Mashemeji derby that took place just over a fortnight ago, the general Kenyan footballing community was left aghast by the decision.

Most stadia in Kenya are unavailable for use as it undergoes renovation works, meaning there were little to no venues available - well, except of course, the Dandora Stadium, which is located at the very heart of the Ghetto.

Given security concerns and the rather diabolical state of the current climate, you might have been forgiven for thinking that the fans would not have turned up. Think again.

Dandora was filled to the brim as ecstatic Ingwe fans turned up to watch their team beat Bandari thanks to a Clifton Miheso goal.

To be fair, the compact nature of the pitch means fans are able to be closer to the pitch to see things happening first hand, unlike on a ground where the fans are separated from the pitch by the tartan track. You could argue it actually motivated the players to do really well and get Ingwe closer to the top five positions, something unimaginable when the season really started. Speaking of which:

Has Levis Opiyo redeemed himself?

A week ago, irked Ingwe fans sang their lungs out, questioning goalkeeper Levis Opiyo’s competence between the sticks after his howler against Gor Mahia cost them the Mashemeji Derby.

Opiyo, who is known to have the tendency to make careless mistakes when least expected since his days at Wazito, has made three high profile errors in a match between AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia, dating back to 2022.

That is a game that means more than anything else to them, so the fact Opiyo had made yet another high profile error in a match of such a magnitude got the fans understandably having enough.

Chants of “Opiyo must go” rocked the stadium during their 3-1 win over Compel, but he was given a chance to redeem himself against Bandari, and his heroics helped Leopards get all the three points in the end, as the Dockers piled on the pressure towards the latter stages of the match.

In the end, fans were actually serenading Opiyo, all the while waving their camera phones in the air at full time. 

Gor Mahia smelling 21st title after claiming SportPesa bragging rights

Gor Mahia stepped closer to claiming their second consecutive league title after overcoming Murang’a Seal at the Saint Sebastian park on Saturday, coming from behind to beat them 3-1.

It was a game that was overshadowed by a couple of bizarre incidents, such as head coach Johnathan McKinstry suffering an unfortunate ankle twist at half time after landing awkwardly while descending a flight of stairs.

Even though Seal huffed and puffed and equalised after Gor took the lead through Austine Odhiambo’s goal , they could not sustain their early pressure in the second half, and a penalty Odhiambo won effectively ended their hopes of revival, as once Benson Omala comfortably dispatched that penalty, there was just no bouncing back.

Gor now need three more straight wins to secure the title.

Waterlogged Machakos Stadium

Two matches that were rescheduled to take place at the Machakos Stadium could not take place due to the waterlogged nature of the pitch.

Nairobi City Stars were set to lock horns with Ulinzi Stars, with Posta taking on FC Talanta, but due to the heavy rains that had a toll on the supposedly revamped and renovated stadium, the pitch was rendered unsuitable for use, which could cause FKF into hitting panic buttons as far as a lack of facilities for use are concerned.

Before too long, the Dandor Stadium will be overused and get to the levels of Camp Toyoyo, a ground whose turf was so overused, it was rendered unsuitable for hosting top flight games until renovation works (which have yet to commence) take place.

Shabana revival

Shabana’s status as a top flight club could be maintained come the end of the season after winning their third match in four games, a run of form that now puts them in 15th place on the log standings.

Since shifting to a two man striker system, they have become more efficient in front of goal, scoring 6 goals in the last four matches, with Mathew Tegisi and Lloyd Kavuchi being a handful for opposition center backs.

Their next run of fixtures could be quite tricky though. But if they can hit the 35 point mark in within that period, their survival status will almost certainly be certified.

Resilient Kenya Police

Since Salim Babu took charge of Police in January, they have yet to lose a single match both in the league and the cup. That is one hell of a record to be proud of.

Babu has adopted a pragmatic approach of setting up to nullify opposition strengths in the first half. His strategy means the side have taken the early lead in most of the matches that they have played, before letting him boys express themselves in the second half in a swash-backling manner.

However, Homeboyz took the early led through Kevin Amwayi at the Mumias Sports Complex, but Police fought back to get the win in the end thanks to two late goals to help them keep tabs on Gor Mahia.