Gor Mahia assistant coach warns of Sofapaka threat ahead of weekend clash
By Joel Masibo, January 27, 2026Gor Mahia assistant coach Kobi Bismark is wary of the threat that the 2009 Kenyan Premier League winners Sofapaka pose ahead of their next meeting in a league clash at the Nyayo National Stadium on Saturday, January 31, 2026.
Speaking on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, as the team resumed training after Saturday, January 24, 2026, hard-fought victory against Bidco United, Bismark said the team is in good shape and preparing well for the game against Batoto ba Mungu.
However, the Ghanaian tactician said there is a lot to work on as a team after surviving the Bidco United scare. Gor Mahia were forced to dig deep into the dying minutes of the game to complete a 2-1 comeback against Bidco United after conceding first.
Room for improvement
”From our last game, the players did well. There are so many areas that I think we need to improve technically. We started working on it. We have had a lot of seriousness to our preparation, and I think we will be ready by Saturday,” Bismark noted.
Touching on the danger that Sofapaka could pose, Bismark said they keenly followed their opponent’s last league encounter against AFC Leopards on Sunday, January 25, 2026, adding that the team has a plan to pin down Ezekiel Akwana’s men at Nyayo.
”We watched them against AFC Leopards; they are a good team, and from what we saw, I think we have a plan on how to approach the game. We are going to be serious about it. It is a team that I think they are good,” hee added.
Meanwhile, Gor Mahia’s title charge has been boosted by the return of creative midfielder Ben Stanley heading into Saturday’s match. Based on the club statement released on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, the Harambee Stars ace joined the team from an injury for training sessions ahead of the fixture as K’Ogalo aim to cement their position at the helm of league standings.
Ben Stanley returns
”Ben Stanley is back. The midfielder has returned to full training following his recovery from an injury he picked up two weeks ago,” the club said in a statement.
However, as Ben Stanley returns, the club’s current top scorer with seven goals, Felix Oluoch, is sidelined indefinitely with a knee injury, requiring specialist consultation and careful management.
Gor Mahia is currently leading the 2025/26 Football Kenya Federation Premier League season table standings with 36 points, with AFC Leopards coming in closely in position two with a similar amount of points but with a weaker goal difference.