Six lessons learned from FKF Premier League match week 29

The FKF Premier League 2025/26 season is fast approaching its crescendo, with the past weekend witnessing match week 29 that included the Mashemeji Derby, leaving us with plenty of lessons to ponder.

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Kenya’s biggest club football fixture, the Mashemeji Derby pitting traditional giants AFC Leopards against their arch-rivals Gor Mahia, finally took place, this time with great significance to the title race.

On the other end of the table, the battle against relegation also witnessed teams putting in last-ditch efforts to salvage their place in the top tier.

Gor Mahia, AFC Leopards fans react to 99th Mashemeji Derby

Mozzart Sport was on site, covering all nine league matches, and as has been the norm this season, here is a summary of the lessons learned from the match week.

The better team won the Mashemeji Derby

Gor Mahia were the biggest winners in match week 29, securing a vital 1-0 victory over AFC Leopards in a match played on Sunday, 26 April at the Nyayo National Stadium.

The high-octane battle was a top-of-the-table clash as both teams were only separated by a meagre three points before the match, with the winner predicted to have one hand on the league title.

As is the case with a majority of derbies worldwide, often form does not count, but the team that shows up, hungry for the ball and the win, always carries the day. If hunger is accompanied by form, it becomes even better.

At Nyayo, K’Ogalo set up well and showed hunger for the ball from the first to the last whistle.

Gor players got into duels, never feared the tackles and competed for every ball available while aggressively pressing Leopards once the ball left the two centre backs.

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The 21-time league champions also dared to take on Leopards' defenders and could have buried the game in the first half, were it not for wasted opportunities.

Leopards, on the other hand, struggled to find their footing in the match, and in the end, an 83rd-minute strike by Alpha Onyango delivered all three points, taking Gor Mahia to 61 points and opening up a six-point lead at the top of the table with five matches to go.

Fans getting back to the stadium

Still in the Mashemeji Derby, Nyayo National Stadium was full beyond capacity and painted with green, blue and white striped jerseys.

From the old to the young, from teenagers to toddlers, there was hardly any space left in the stadium.

More encouraging is the fact that the number of female fans keeps on increasing, pointing to the change in culture and enhanced safety and security in the stadiums.

Clubs and the federation must do all it takes to not only retain the fans but also attract more for the growth of the game.

It was also good to see a mini battle of Ultras between both sets of fans unfolding in the stands with tifos, smoke bombs, flares and fireworks the order of the day.

Poor results dwindling Shabana's fortunes

For the second time in a row, Shabana FC collected less than Ksh700,000 in their home match, this time against Kenya Police FC.

Shabana have traditionally collected over Ksh1 million in their home matches, raising eyebrows on what is ailing the club.

However, many observers attribute the downfall to the poor results that the club has been posting and the controversial changes in the technical bench.

Relegation battle intensifies

Just like the title race, the fight against relegation is also as competitive as it comes, and the battle got even juicier over the past weekend.

While Sofapaka and Bidco United are almost certainly going to face the chop, there is a fight over who will be the third team to follow suit.

With APS Bomet, Ulinzi Stars and Kariobangi Sharks all in the dog fight, all three teams registered wins over the weekend to keep their dreams alive.

Naibois have shaken off continental fatigue

After struggling for form and results during and slightly after their CAF Confederation Cup debut, Nairobi United seem to have finally shaken off the fatigue and baggage of continental football by posting positive results in April.

Naibois posted back-to-back league wins for the first time in over six months when they hammered Mathare United 2-1 despite going down to 10 men in the second half.

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Defensive stability spurs Mara to victory

After escaping relegation in the last game of last season, Mara Sugar have had an improved season and once again demonstrated that with a 1-0 win over Tusker FC.

To achieve this, one key pillar of the team has to be their defensive set-up and discipline. While the club was hailed for recording a third consecutive win for the first time this season, it must also be noted that they kept a third consecutive clean sheet, a testament to their good defensive display.

With just two goals conceded in their last seven matches, The Sugar Millers have soaked in 25 goals throughout the season, the fifth fewest in the league and are now ninth on the log with 40 points.