Mathare United head coach John Kamau has issued a stinging wake-up call to his squad after a frustrating 1-1 stalemate against Posta Rangers. In a match that the "Slum Boys" dominated for long stretches, a lack of clinical finishing allowed two crucial points to slip through their fingers, leaving them languishing in 12th place.

The encounter at the Kasarani Annex was a game of two halves, defined by a lapse in concentration and a spirited, yet insufficient, fightback. Posta Rangers drew first blood in the 29th minute when Faustine Ojiambo capitalized on defensive hesitation to fire the Mailmen ahead. It was a lead they held comfortably until the interval, raising questions about Mathare’s defensive organization.

"We Dropped Two Points"

Speaking post-match, Kamau did not mince his words"A point is better than none, but again I feel we dropped two points because in the first half, we were dominant," he stated. His frustration is palpable; with the 2025/26 SportPesa Premier League campaign entering its critical second phase, Mathare United sits precariously on 21 points, far from the safety and stability the historic club craves.

The equalizer finally came in the 72nd minute via Brian Ochieng, who finished a well-worked move to restore parity. "In the second half, we continued the tempo and created four good chances," Kamau noted, highlighting the team's resilience. However, resilience alone does not win titles—or avoid relegation battles.

• The Debutant: The match saw the introduction of teenage sensation Harisson Amalemba. Fresh out of high school, the youngster was thrown into the deep end just days after signing. "It’s good that Amalemba felt the weight of it. From here, he knows he has to work more," Kamau assessed.
• The Table: The draw does little to improve Mathare's standing, keeping them in the bottom half of the table.
• Next Challenge: The focus now shifts to a daunting clash against KCB this Saturday, a fixture Kamau has earmarked as a "must-win" to cash in on their improving form.

Building for the Future

The gaffer’s strategy relies heavily on transitioning young talent like Amalemba and Benson Shibutwa from school football to the rigors of the Premier League. It is a high-risk, high-reward approach. "If he becomes dominant, especially against fullbacks, he’s destined for bigger teams," Kamau said of Amalemba.

As they prepare to face the Bankers, the message from the dugout is clear: dominance without goals is futile. Mathare must find their cutting edge, or risk becoming the league’s perennial "nearly men."