Gor Mahia to play National Super League side Murang’a Seals in “handshake derby”

Gor Mahia ponders what next after Tusker clinch FKF Super Cup in a curtain raiser match for the 2021/22 season at The Thika Stadium. Sept 22, 2021. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Record Kenyan league champions Gor Mahia will play National Super League side Murang’a Seal in the “handshake derby” match on Saturday, October 3.

The two teams will clash for the first time in 10 months in a friendly game to be staged at the Seal’s home tuff.

The match will take place at the well-manicured and privately-owned St. Sebastien Park in Murang’a from 3pm.

Gor are currently in third place on the KPL table with 3 points after match-day one last weekend.

The record league winners beat last season’s runners-up KCB FC 2-1 in the opening match of the season.

 “The last time Gor were in Murang’a for a friendly they really loved playing on this pitch and having fostered that relationship with this giant club, we planned for a second friendly.

“Such matches against prominent opposition are also good for our boys as we also aim to play in the top league someday,” said Murang’a Seal Chairman Robert Macharia. 

The last friendly between the two teams, held in November 2020, ended 2-1 in favour of K’Ogalo.

Gor Chairman Ambrose Rachier lauded the club for its approach of setting up a fully-fledged academy which he noted was key in nurturing talent as well as preventing the youth from drug abuse and idleness. 

Seal finished 12th in Kenya’s second-tier league with 45 points last season and are raring to earn promotion to the KPL next season.

Murang’a Sports Excellence Academy Limited – MSeal – is an upcoming football and sports academy based in Murang’a and the only football club in Kenya with its own private pitch, the St.Sebastien Park.