2024-2025: A chaotic season
The 2024-2025 season was a disappointing one for Kogalo. It was a year of inconsistency that saw Gor Mahia change head coaches three times.
Leonard Neivas appointed as coach
Brazilian Leonardo Martins Neiva as their new head coach. Neivas signed a two-year contract to replace Johnathan McKinstry, who has recently taken the role of Gambia national team head coach.
Neivas arrives with an impressive and diverse coaching resume, having managed both clubs and national teams across multiple continents.
At 46, he brought a wealth of experience, having kick-started his coaching career as an assistant coach at America CF in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2007.
2024 CECAFA Cup
2024 CECAFA Kagame Interclub Cup was the 46th edition of the Kagame Interclub Cup. The competition was held in Tanzania from 9 to 21 July. Gor Mahia’s performance was disastrous and was a harbinger of how the rest of the season would go.
They lost 0-1 to Zambian Champions Red Arrows. In the second match they were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw by Djibouti Telecom. In the last match they went down 2-0 to Al Hilal of Sudan to end a disappointing campaign. It was an inauspicious start for coach Leonardo Neivas.
Continental Assignments
Gor Mahia entered the 2024-2025 Africa Champions League on a shakey note after their sub par performance in the CECAFA club cup. In the Champions League, Gor Mahia started brightly. They were pitted against El Merreikh Bentiu of South Sudan in the first round. After losing the opening 0-1, Gor Mahia came back strong to win the second leg 5-1 at home.
In the second round, they came up against Egyptian giants Al Ahly. A team whose budget is at least 100 times higher than Gor Mahia and which had just dismissed the Asian Champions 3-0. Gor Mahia fans were under no illusions about their chances. They went on to lose both legs 3-0.
2024-2025 Kenya Premier League
Gor Mahia started the 2024-2025 season with a resounding 4-0 win over Mathare United. This was followed by a 3-0 win over Posta Rangers as Gor Mahia looked set to retain the title they had won in the previous season. Then the trouble started; a scoreless draw with KCB, a 2-0 loss to Bandari and a dissapointing draw with bottom placed Muranga Seal, literally sealed Leonad Neivas fate as he was fired. Zedekiah Otieno took over as interim coach.
Under Zico, Gor Mahia remained among the top 3 teams in the standings. There were important wins over teams like Kakamega Homeboyz and Ulinzi, interspersed with losses to Police and Bidco.
Sinisa Mihic appointed as coach
In February of 2025, Serbian Sinisa Mihic was hired as head coach on a six month contract.
Mihic started well, with a 2-1 win over Mathare United. But this was followed by scoreless draws with Tusker and Bidco. Mihic too was inconsistent much to the chagrin of fans. Matters came to a head when Mihic accused assistant coaches Zedekiah Otieno and Michael Nam of sabotaging him.
“I’ve served as an assistant coach at various clubs, but I’ve never witnessed or exhibited the kind of conduct I’m seeing from some of my colleagues. It’s unacceptable.” said Mihic who went on to expel the duo from the bench, a decision he later reversed.
Mihic was fired on May 19 2025, only a few months into his tenure, after a disappointing 0-0 draw with bottom side Muranga Seal. Zedekiah Otieno and Michael Nam took over as coaches, leaving fans perplexed. Fans wondered why the two people who had been accused of sabotaging Mihic were given the head coaching job.
End of the 2024-2025 Campaign
By the time Mihic left, Gor Mahia’s chances of retaining the league were all but gone. A 1-1 draw with Police sealed their fate. Gor Mahia finished second, 6 points behind Police.
2024-2025 FKF Cup
In the FKF Cup, Gor Mahia started against Muranga Seal. The Muranga side had given Kogalo a torrid time this season and this game was no different. The game ended 2-2 in regulation before Gor Mahia won 5-3 on penalties.
In the next round Gor Mahia’s poor form continued when they were shocked 2-1 by second tier side Nairobi United. It was a fitting end to what had been a season of inconsistency and instability.
