Benson Omala, once hailed as Gor Mahia’s title saviour, has struggled to live up to expectations in a disappointing FKF Premier League campaign for the defending champions.
When the 2024/25 FKF Premier League season kicked off, few names sparked as much optimism among Gor Mahia faithful as Benson Omala.
However, the striker, fresh from a 19-goal haul that had fired K’Ogalo to league glory the previous season departed for Al Safa.
However a turbulent stint with the Lebanese side saw him return to Gor Mahia mid season as their season was crubmling.
Omala was seen as the man to steady a wobbling campaign. Yet, as the season nears its climax, both Gor Mahia and Omala find themselves teetering on the edge of unfulfilled expectations.
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The Weight of Expectation
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Omala’s return to the squad was viewed as a turning point in a season that had quickly turned turbulent for the defending champions.
With Kenya Police FC setting the pace at the top, Gor Mahia needed their talismanic forward to hit the ground running.
Then head coach Sinisa Mihic knew that their title hopes hinged on finding consistent goals, and in Omala, he believed they had the perfect solution.
“He’s the kind of striker who doesn’t waste chances,” said coach Mihic after a frustrating 0-0 draw against AFC Leopards in the Mashemeji Derby first leg.
“This team is missing players like Omala. A real striker who will score easily and not miss so many chances.”
It wasn’t an unreasonable belief. Omala’s past performances had earned him a near-mythical reputation among fans and his goal on return in the FKF Cup, which propelled Gor Mahia further into the competition, only deepened the faith that he could once again be their hero.
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Omala Falters As Gor Mahia Crumble
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But football, like fate, is cruelly unpredictable. While Omala showed flashes of brilliance, his second stint quickly began to mirror the club’s own inconsistencies.
Missed chances, anonymous performances, and an inability to turn up in the season’s key matches have now become the dominant theme of his campaign in Gor Mahia's lackluster season.
Gor Mahia’s fate is no longer in their hands. Despite reaching the FKF Cup final where they face Nairobi United, their Premier League hopes hang by a thread.
To retain their crown, they must first overcome Ulinzi Stars and even that may not be enough unless Shabana FC can do them a favour by toppling Kenya Police.
The man who once led the title charge is now the symbol of what could have been. Omala’s struggles have become an unfortunate mirror of Gor Mahia’s season.
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