Sofapaka players celebrate after winning the FKFPL playoff match against Naivas at Dandora Stadium (C) FKF Media
2009 Kenya Premier League champions Sofapaka will feature in next season's FKF Premier League after overcoming FKF National Super League side Naivas 2-0 on aggregate in a two-legged promotion/relegation play-off tie.
Sofapaka went into the second of the leg having the upperhand after winning 1-0 away to Naivas during the first leg of the fixture on July 7, 2024, in a match that was played at the Police Sacco Stadium.
Jacob Onyango had sealed victory with an 89th-minute goal on that occasion but Sofapaka did not have to wait that long for a breakthrough when the two teams clashed on Sunday at the Dandora Stadium.
Striker Andre Kalama gave Sofapaka the lead two minutes to the end of the first half and Batoto Ba Mungu held on to the lead to secure the result that guaranteed their presence in the 2024-25 FKF Premier League.
The result lifted a heavy burden off the shoulders of Sofapaka who had flirted with relegation for a better part of the 2023-24 FKF Premier League.
The club finished in 16th place after collecting only 10 points in the last 10 matches, a finish that was enough to prevent automatic relegation but not avoid contesting a promotion/relegation play-off match with Naivas who finished third in the 2023-24 FKF National Super League season.
Naivas missed out on automatic promotion after finishing six and eight points respectively behind Mathare United and Mara Sugar who completed the season in second and first place with 82 and 84 points respectively.
Naivas, who have never featured in the top flight, will have to give another go next season in the FKF National Super League for a chance to earn promotion to the nation's elite football league.
