TACTICAL ANALYSIS: How opposition study helped Gor Mahia end two-year winless run against Kenya Police FC
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Reading Time: 6min | Wed. 12.11.25. | 20:24
Prior to the match, Police had not lost a league fixture in the season, while Gor had not beaten the Law Enforcers since 2023
Gor Mahia’s 2-0 victory over Kenya Police FC last Sunday at Nyayo Stadium was more than just another routine win.
While it marked their fifth win in six league matches, this encounter carried extra significance for the team, fans, and coaching staff.
Beyond the points, the match served as a statement, a form of partial revenge against a team that had increasingly challenged Gor Mahia recently in the FKF Premier League.
Kenya Police, last season’s league champions, had previously halted Gor’s bid for a three-in-a-row title and collected four points from the sides’ previous encounters, including a 1-0 home win and a 1-1 away draw.
The intent to ‘fix’ what was seen in the Gor camp as a mistake they cannot afford to repeat this season was evident, with K'Ogalo demonstrating a heightened tactical discipline and clarity in their approach throughout the match.
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From the opening whistle, the tactical setup of both sides was clear.
Kenya Police lined up in a 4-3-3 formation, with Job Ochieng in goal, Daniel Sakari as the right-back, Abud Omar at left-back, and David Ochieng and Brian Okoth as central defenders.
Their midfield trio comprised of anchor Charles Ouma, Tobias Otieno balancing progression and defensive duties, and Marvin Nabwire operating in a more advanced role.
Up front, Eric Zakayo played on the right, Edward Omondi on the left, with Samuel Ayandrinde as the central striker.
Gor Mahia, on the other hand, utilized a fluid 3-4-3/3-4-1-2 system, with Bryne Omondi in goal and Paul Ochuoga functioning as a right wing-back.
Sylvester Owino and Mike Kibwage partnered at the heart of defence ,with Bryton Onyona rotating as left-back.
In midfield,Alpha Onyango and Enock Morrison served as the pivot, with Austin Odhiambo occupying a more advanced role between the lines and occasionally dropping deep to link play.
Shariff Musa operated as a left winger tasked with both attacking contributions and critical recovery runs, while Felix Oluoch and Ebenezer Adukwaw led the forward line.
The tactical execution began almost immediately.
In the second minute, Gor Mahia capitalized on a turnover high up the pitch following a misplaced pass by Tobias.
Austin collected the ball outside the box, progressing play to Adukwaw on the right wing.
The Ghanaian delivered a low cross into the six-yard box where Oluoch, timing his movement perfectly, managed to tap the ball past the goalkeeper, giving Gor Mahia an early lead.
This move highlighted the team’s intent from the first few minutes.
They used a patient build-up from the back, utilizing their back three and two pivots to control tempo, while Ochuoga pushed high to support the right flank.
The interplay between Adukwaw and Oluoch, particularly their horizontal runs, consistently stretched Kenya Police’s defense, creating space for quick attacking transitions.
Gor Mahia’s tactical approach involved a high defensive line within a mid-block, pressing aggressively while directing play into one wide area as a pressing trigger.
This coordinated movement effectively trapped Kenya Police on one side of the pitch, forcing them into predictable long balls that could be intercepted or turned over.
Gor Mahia deployed a high, aggressive man-to-man press funnelling play to one flank and trapping opponents there, forcing long clearances that led to quick turnovers and regains.
Kenya Police, meanwhile, relied on an aggressive press too, attempting to disrupt Gor’s ball circulation, but left spaces between their midfield and defensive lines.
Austin and Alpha frequently exploited these vacated areas, linking play with forwards and advancing into the channels created by Kenya Police’s pressing.
Gor also used Morrison’s long throws to generate near-post flick-ons, adding a vertical dimension to their attacks.
The second goal, also scored in the first half, further emphasized Gor Mahia’s tactical intelligence.
In the 29th minute, a well-timed pass from Owino in the right midfield region found Musa making a diagonal run behind Kenya Police’s defense.
Musa’s first-time finish, beating the goalkeeper, who had come off his line, doubled Gor’s lead.
Throughout the first half, Gor effectively defended set-pieces by maintaining all ten outfield players in defensive positions, while positioning Musa and Adukwaw on the wall to guard and be on set in case quick counter breaks scenarios.
Kenya Police attempted to exploit the right flank through overloads, with Sakari and Zakayo combining, but Musa’s relentless recovery runs consistently neutralized these threats.
Shariff Musa, Gor Mahia’s left winger, made constant recovery runs to support his full-back, effectively neutralizing Kenya Police’s double-width threat on the right flank.
Kenya Police sought to create overloads on the right flank through the full-back(Sakari) and winger’s(Zakayo) double width, but Gor Mahia’s left winger(Shariff Musa) consistently tracked back to provide defensive cover, with a supporting midfielder joining to create a three-man shield that nullified Police’s wide threat especially in the first half.
The midfield battle was aggressive, with both sides engaging in intense duels and Gor’s structure adjusting dynamically to outnumber Police in critical zones.
In the second half, Kenya Police made tactical substitutions to alter the game, introducing David Simiyu and Clinton Kinanga to complement a twin-striker system.
They shifted to a 4-2-4 in possession and 4-4-2 /4-1-3-2 configuration, focusing on overloading the right side of the pitch with four players to gain numerical advantage.
Kenya Police defending in a compact 4-4-2 mid-block, maintaining horizontal compactness and closing central lanes while guiding Gor Mahia’s buildup toward the flanks.
Kenya Police using third-man combinations to create right-wing overloads in the second half, with the second striker(Kinanga) and an extra midfielder(Marvin) joining the winger(Zakayo) and right-back(Sakari) trying to outnumber Gor Mahia and progress play down that flank.
Despite these adjustments, Gor Mahia maintained control, transitioning quickly through direct balls to Oluoch and Adukwaw exploiting spaces behind the Police defense.
The home team increased their pressing intensity, yet Gor’s disciplined positioning continued to create counter-attacking opportunities.
As the game progressed, Gor Mahia adapted to a back-four structure, with Ochuoga adopting a more reserved right-back role, while Oluoch shifted to the wing and Adukwaw operated as the lone striker.
This allowed the team to retain midfield dominance, while managing the tempo of the game, slowing down play when necessary to neutralize Police’s growing momentum.
Gor also demonstrated tactical intelligence by maintaining numerical superiority during defensive transitions, ensuring that their high pressing did not leave them exposed.
Long, precise passes into wide areas consistently tested Police’s defense, with Adukwaw and Oluoch making incisive runs to threaten their goal.
Alpha came close to scoring a third goal, highlighting Gor’s ability to exploit gaps created by Kenya Police’s aggressive forward positioning and limited defensive coverage in a two man rest defense set up.
Overall, Gor Mahia’s 2-0 victory over Kenya Police was a tactical masterclass combining patience, high pressing, and intelligent positional play.
Their ability to balance defensive solidity with quick transitions allowed them to dominate key moments, particularly on the flanks where recovery runs and overlapping support neutralized Police’s overload strategies.
The Gor Mahia technical bench was elated after the result, stating that they watched how Police play and set up in a plan that would ensure maximum pointe in what they termed a "crucial" win.
The win not only secured three points but sent a clear signal to the rest of the FKF Premier League: Gor Mahia continue to prove they have the tactical discipline and attacking efficiency, ready to respond decisively to any challenge to their dominance.
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