FKFPL Review: Shabana sit top of summit, Gor gaining momentum as Tusker struggles continue
Bidco United's one nil victory over newly promoted Nairobi United on Monday concluded the fourth round of the 2025/26 SportPesa Premier League season. Herman Ngala's...
Bidco United’s one nil victory over newly promoted Nairobi United on Monday concluded the fourth round of the 2025/26 SportPesa Premier League season. Herman Ngala’s second minute goal lifted the Oilers to third on the log table with six points from two matches as their opponent sit 13th on three points after a solitary win and a loss. Bidco are among the six teams yet to lose this season, others being Shabana, Posta Rangers, Kakamega Homeboyz, Police Fc and AFC Leopards; although the fixtures are irregular.
Don’t sleep on Shabana this season
Shabana FC will sit at the summit of the 2025/2026 Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKFPL) table heading to the October FIFA international break after battling to a 1-1 draw with Tusker in a league match played at Kasarani Stadium on Sunday, October 5.
Harambee Stars forward Austin Odongo gave Shabana the lead in the 19th minute before substitute Ian Simiyu levelled for Tusker with 10 minutes left on the clock.
The draw keeps Shabana level on points with Posta Rangers, as both teams have seven, but Shabana remain top on goal difference, having scored six goals and conceded three compared to Rangers who have let in four times.
The Glamour Boys have had a stellar start to the 2025/26 campaign after thrashing newbies APS Bomet 4-2 in the league opener before seeing off Bandari 1-0 on matchday two.
Everything seem to go perfect for Tore Bobe in their pursuit for their maiden league title. The only set-back being an injury to their main man Brain Michira who the coach said his early exit to the game against Tusker ‘disrupted the gameplan’.
“The medical team had deemed him 100 per cent fit, so when he got injured, it was a big blow because the team is built around him. We had to change the game plan,” said coach Okidi.
Michira was Shabana’s top scorer last season with 14 goals and has bagged two this season.
Shabana had a great second half of the last season picking eight wins and five draws in the last 17 games and they seem to have brought last season’s momentum into this season.
Never rule out Gor Mahia
After two wins and a loss from three matches, record champions Gor Mahia now sit third on the table on six points level with Posta.
K’Ogalo rarely kicks off a new season with good results but seem to pick form as the league grows but this season things seem to be different. Despite kicking off the season on a back foot with a 1-0 loss to Bidco on the opening fixture, Gor bounced back with wins against Sofapaka (2-0) and KCB (1-0).
Despite two consecutive wins, coach Charles Akonnor is still ‘unimpressed’ with the number of chances his charges are missing saying ‘such fine margins can be costly on some occasions’.
Police and Tusker seem less fiery
The defending champions, Kenya Police FC have had a mixed start to the season with one win- against APS Bomet over the weekend, and a draw against rivals Ulinzi Stars. Their title defence will be hampered by fixture congestion as they will also be representing Kenya in the CAF Champions League.
Police FC will host Sudanese powerhouse, Al Hilal Omdurman on 17 October, at Nyayo National Stadium for their much-anticipated CAF Champions League Cup second preliminary round.
The Law-enforcers advanced to this stage after surviving a late scare from Mogadishu City Club of Somalia, edging them out on away goals following a tense two-legged affair.
The reigning FKF-PL champions had registered an emphatic 3-1 victory in the first leg played in Nyayo National Stadium, where Eric Zakayo, Edward Omondi and David Simiyu scored, but were forced to sweat in the return leg staged still at Nyayo, falling 2-0 away before eventually progressing on aggregate.
Al Hilal Omdurman on the other hand, equally endured a competitive first-round tie, overcoming Jamus FC of South Sudan with a 2-1 aggregate score line.
The Sudanese powerhouse, a seasoned continental campaigner, will be looking to extend their impressive CAF pedigree, having consistently featured in both the Champions League and Confederation Cup in recent years.
The clash marks the first-ever meeting between the two sides, with the winner of the two-legged tie securing a coveted slot in the group stages of Africa’s top-tier inter-club competition, where the Etienne Ndayiragije coached-side will be aiming to make history as the first Kenyan side to grace the group stages.
Tusker FC on the other hand are having their worst start to the season after two draws and two losses from their opening four rounds. Losses against KCB and Posta Rangers, and draws against Mathare and Shabana have left the Brewers sitting 16th on the table with two points and a negative three goal difference.
But despite the poor start head coach Charles Okere has refused to press the panic button. According to Okere, who has been under pressure following the poor start, Tusker fans should remain patient as he tries to revive the sinking ship.
“We went into the game wanting three points, but getting a point is also a good result considering we are in the early stages of the season, and for the fans we ask for patience, everything will be alright, we are going through a bad spell but it won’t take long,” said Okere.
“We have started to get the playing formula right, and I want to assure the fans the moment everything clicks, we will go far, we are in the race, and we will fight until the end.”
Things not going so well for veterans and the newbies
Joining Tusker in the conversations of poor starts are Murang’a Seal, AFC Leopards and Sofapaka. Murang’a are 14th in the table after one win from three just ahead of Leopards who have accumulated just two points from two draws. Sofapaka are 17 after one draw and two losses from their opening three matches.
On the other hand, newly promoted APS Bomet sit bottom of the table with zero points after three consecutive defeats and a negative five goal difference.
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