Gor Mahia head coach Charles Akonnor has explained his decision to withdraw midfielder Lesley Otieno early in Sunday’s CAF Champions League preliminary round clash against Egyptian outfit Pyramids FC at Nyayo National Stadium.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsThe record FKF Premier League champions fell 2-0 to the Egyptian powerhouses in the first leg, with Walid El Karti opening the scoring in the fifth minute before Mahmoud Saber doubled the advantage on the stroke of halftime.Facing one of Africa’s continental heavyweights, the Ghanaian tactician made several tactical adjustments during the contest, including sacrificing Lesley and introducing Ben Stanley Omondi as he looked to restore balance to his midfield.##NAJAVA_MECA_9936564##The decision to take off one of his core players before halftime attracted attention, but the former Ghana national team coach explained that it was purely a tactical move rather than a reflection of the midfielder’s performance.“Yeah, it wasn’t..

With dust slowly settling on Gor Mahia’s humbling 2-0 loss to Egyptian moneybags Pyramids FC in the CAF Champions League (CAFCL) first preliminary round, plenty of lessons can be drawn from the first-leg clash.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsThis was K’Ogalo’s first continental match since September 2024, when they suffered elimination at the hands of record African champions Al Ahly in the same competition.The highly anticipated clash was settled by Walid El-Khati and Mahmoud Saber, who both scored in the fifth and 45+5th minutes to give the Egyptian outfit a much-deserved away win.K’Ogalo head coach explains reason for first half sub against PyramidsWith the two sides set for a second-leg encounter on Sunday, 13 September, in Cairo, Egypt, the 2025 CAF Champions League winners already have one leg in the next round.Having covered the match extensively, Mozzart Sport takes a look at some of the key takeaways from the Sunday afternoon encounter.Significance of opponent anal..

UEFA will announce the list of 30 nominees for the Ballon d’Or, and for the first time in years, there won’t be a clear favourite to claim the prestigious honour.For some, Rodri is the frontrunner as the World Cup winner with Spain and the tournament’s Golden Ball. Ruthless goalscorers like Erling Haaland and Harry Kane are always in the mix, while Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, arguably the best player of Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain, will be waiting in the wings for his chance.Of course, Kylian Mbappe will, as usual, be in the running, as well.🚨BALLON D’OR NOMINEES DROPPING TOMORROW!The wait is finally overFrance Football will reveal the 2026 Ballon d’Or nominees tomorrow, September 8.30 players. One ultimate prize. Mbappé? Kane? Rodri? Haaland? WHO ARE YOU EXPECTING TO MAKE THE LIST? #BallonDor— XtraScore (@XtraScoreHQ) September 7, 2026 The Frenchman broke Miroslav Klose’s record, won the scoring battle with Lionel Messi, and became the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer w..

Following their merciless start to the new season, with two wins against Stuttgart and Osnabruck and a combined goal difference of 9-2, few could have expected Bayern Munich to slip up against Bundesliga newcomers Schalke 04.Truth be told, the Gelsenkirchen club is still among Germany’s giants despite its recent struggles, but it is far from the Bavarians’ level.Either way, Schalke held firm.No Kane, no Olise from the start and no goals – Bayern drop points at SchalkeVincent Kompany’s men were below par, and their forwards were misfiring – all of that holds true. However, the Royal Blues’ defence should get credit for keeping a clean sheet against the mighty opponent, while the man between the posts, Loris Karius, deserved to be specifically highlighted and praised.The man whose career was marked by a tragic night in Kyiv eight years ago, when he handed Real Madrid two goals on a plate and cost Liverpool a 3-1 defeat in the Champions League final.It took him time to recover from such a..

After suffering a deflating 2-0 loss at the hands of Egyptian moneybags Pyramids FC in the first leg of the CAF Champions League (CAFCL) preliminary round, Gor Mahia fans have expressed mixed reactions.The two sides met in the first leg of the CAFCL preliminary round on Sunday, 6 September, at Nyayo National Stadium, where the visitors secured a crucial away victory.Download our Mozzart Sport App for more newsMoments after K’Ogalo missed a glorious opportunity to take the lead, Pyramids broke the deadlock in the fifth minute through Walid El-Khati before Egypt international Mahmoud Saber doubled the advantage at the stroke of halftime.##NAJAVA_MECA_9936459##Gor Mahia staged a spirited performance in the second half, but it was not enough to overturn the damage inflicted in the opening 45 minutes.Mozzart Sport caught up with Gor Mahia fans after the final whistle, who offered divergent views on the defeat.“I honestly believe that Gor Mahia had a good game. We conceded largely due to ind..

Former Nairobi City Stars midfielder and Posta Rangers head of global partnership and sponsorship Herbert Kunga has outlined what Kenya needs to do to start reaping big from football investment.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsHe says the country must first change its approach to the administration and management of the game.Kunga’s remarks come as Kenyan football fans continue to wait for the start of the new season across all league structures, with league kick-off having been delayed amid ongoing court cases.##NAJAVA_MECA_9944531##The standoff has made it difficult for the federation to get the leagues underway and has already seen the season kick-off postponed twice.The sports marketer argues that simply changing the people occupying football offices will not transform the gameHe insists that meaningful change must begin with a shift in mindset among those running clubs.16-year-old Kenyan referee appeals for help to realise officiating dream“Football will not change beca..

Gor Mahia assistant captain Michael Kibwage has attributed the 2-0 defeat to Egyptian giants Pyramids FC to the delayed start of the 2026/27 FKF Premier League season.Download our Mozzart Sport App for more newsK’Ogalo suffered a humbling home defeat in the first leg of the two-legged CAF Champions League (CAFCL) preliminary round tie at Nyayo Stadium on Sunday, 6 September, leaving them with a mountain to climb in the return leg in Cairo next weekend.The 2025 CAFCL champions made a flying start when Walid El Karti broke the deadlock inside the opening five minutes before Mahmoud Saber doubled Pyramids’ advantage on the stroke of half-time.##NAJAVA_MECA_9936459##The two first-half strikes proved decisive as Pyramids secured a comfortable away victory and put themselves firmly in control of the tie ahead of the second leg.Kibwage, who captained Gor Mahia in the absence of injured skipper Sylvester Owino, believes the lack of competitive football put the record league champions at a disa..