Edward Omondi's strike seals Kenya Police win over Sofapaka in coach Stojanovic’s debut
The win marked a perfect start for new head coach Dusan Stojanovic, who took charge of the defending champions on Sunday following the departure of Burundian tactician Etienne Ndayiragije.
A solitary first-half goal from Edward “Ondimo” Omondi (a former Sofapaka player) was enough to hand Kenya Police FC a narrow 1-0 victory over Sofapaka FC in a rescheduled FKF Premier League clash at the Police Sacco Stadium on Wednesday evening.
The win marked a perfect start for new head coach Dusan Stojanovic, who took charge of the defending champions on Sunday following the departure of Burundian tactician Etienne Ndayiragije. It also lifted the law enforcers out of the relegation zone, propelling them to eighth on the log with eight points from four matches.
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Coming into the game, Police were eager to turn around their domestic form after being preoccupied with continental duties in the CAF Champions League, where they were recently eliminated by Sudan’s Al Hilal on a 4–1 aggregate scoreline.
Sofapaka, on the other hand, arrived at the fixture buoyed by a fine run of form, having scored seven goals in their previous three matches, including a commanding 3–0 win over Nairobi United last weekend.
Despite their attacking confidence, they found the disciplined Police backline, marshalled by goalkeeper Job Ochieng, too solid to break down.
The early stages saw Sofapaka threaten through Stanley Lugalia, whose sixth-minute cross narrowly missed a finishing touch in the danger area.
However, Police gradually grew into the game, pressing higher and exploiting spaces behind Sofapaka’s defence. Their persistence paid off in the 40th minute when Omondi latched onto a loose ball in the box and fired home the opener, sending the home fans into celebration.
The visitors made tactical changes at halftime, introducing Ezekiel Namale and Bramuel Simiyu in search of an equaliser. But despite several attempts from Adriano Oloo and Joseph Kuloba, the Batoto ba Mungu found no way past the in-form Ochieng. The Police custodian, who won last season’s Golden Glove, has now gone four league matches without conceding a single goal, underlining his importance to the champions’ title defence.
Sofapaka’s frustration grew as the second half wore on, collecting yellow cards through Ezekiel Okeno and Japheth Mzungu for late tackles, while Police calmly managed the game to secure maximum points.
The result handed Stojanovic, the Serbian coach who guided Uganda’s SC Villa to their first league title in two decades last year, a positive debut in charge of the law enforcers. His pragmatic approach and emphasis on defensive organisation were evident throughout the match.
The victory extends Police’s unbeaten league run to four matches and signals a strong return to domestic focus following their continental campaign. For Sofapaka, the loss ends their recent momentum and serves as a reminder of the fine margins in a competitive Premier League season.
With the first win under their new coach secured, Kenya Police will now look to build consistency as they continue their title defence, one that promises to be as demanding as ever in this tightly contested season.
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