Bandari FC's Frank Ouya in action against Nairobi United on Wednesday, February 25, 2026. Photo by Mark Mutuku/Citizen Digital
Bandari FC were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw against Nairobi United in an entertaining Kenya Premier League (KPL) clash at Mbaraki Sports Club on Wednesday afternoon.
The Naibois drew first blood in the 23rd minute through former Gor Mahia striker Benson Omalla, but Amza Ndayou scored almost immediately to restore parity for the home side as the two teams held on for a draw.
The capital side began brightly, creating better chances in the opening exchanges. Enock Machaka and Lesley Owino both came close inside the first quarter, but failed to convert promising opportunities.
The breakthrough came in the 23rd minute when Omala unleashed a powerful strike past Bandari goalkeeper Allain Ngeleka after receiving a perfectly weighted split pass from Owino, giving the visitors a deserved lead.
However, Bandari responded almost immediately. Just a minute later, Ndayou capitalized on a loose ball in the Nairobi United defence and fired a thunderous shot into the top corner beyond goalkeeper Bernard Jairo to level the scores.
Moments later, Nairobi United nearly restored their lead, but Ochieng squandered a golden tap-in opportunity, sending his effort agonisingly over the bar.
Both teams remained composed for the remainder of the half, heading into the break deadlocked at 1-1.
The second half turned into a cagey midfield battle, with neither side able to carve out clear-cut chances. Possession was heavily contested, but goal-scoring opportunities were limited.
In stoppage time, Nairobi United almost snatched a dramatic winner, but Tittus Ssematimba's header narrowly missed the target, ensuring the points were shared under the sunny skies of Mombasa.
Speaking after the match, Nairobi United head coach George Oduor expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance despite dropping two points.
“My players worked very hard. Though we didn’t get the win, Bandari gave us a tough challenge. I believe the fans who came to the stadium were satisfied with the display,” he said.
On the other side, Bandari captain Andrew Juma acknowledged his team fell short of their best form but praised their resilience.
“It was not easy. We knew it would be a hard match. We didn’t play at our best, but at least we managed to come away with a point,” he noted.
Elsewhere, Tusker FC new coach, Julien Mette picked up his first win since taking charge last week after the Brewers narrowly overcame Muranga Seal 1-0 in a closely contested clash at Wanguru Stadium in Kirinyaga.
Ibrahim Joshua’s first-half strike proved decisive, as Tusker bounced back after consecutive losses to Mathare United and Shabana FC.
The win saw Tusker move up to seventh in the standings with 31 points, while Seal’s loss, which was their second in a row after last week’s 3-2 defeat to Bandari, dealt a blow to the Murang’a-based side’s hopes to mount a late title charge.
