Mathare United head coach John Kamau has challenged his charges to spark a shift in mentality as the Slum Boys chase the elusive rhythm of back-to-back victories in the 2025/26 SportPesa Premier League.
On Monday, Mathare suffered a bruising 1–0 defeat at the hands of Mara Sugar at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
Dennis Cheruiyot’s 51st-minute winner proved the difference, punishing Mathare for their wastefulness and handing Mara Sugar maximum points.
It has been a stop-start campaign for the Slum Boys, who have struggled to string together consecutive wins since the kickoff of the 2025/26 season.
Before the Mara setback, they edged Nairobi United 1–0, a result preceded by a 1–0 defeat to Kenya Police and, before that, a 2–0 triumph over Kakamega Homeboyz.
Their four league wins so far, identical 1–0 victories over KCB and Shabana, plus the Homeboyz and Nairobi United results, tell the story of a side yet to find attacking fluency.
Meanwhile, draws against Tusker (0–0) and APS Bomet (1–1), coupled with six defeats; Posta Rangers (2–1), Kariobangi Sharks (2–1), Gor Mahia (2–0), AFC Leopards (2–0), Kenya Police and Mara Sugar, leave them 10th on the log with 14 points, level with ninth-placed Mara Sugar.
Kamau believes the key to climbing the table lies more in mindset. “If we are to win back-to-back games, then I think we need to change our mentality,” Kamau insisted.
Reflecting on the Mara Sugar defeat, the Mathare tactician did not sugarcoat his frustration, particularly with a flat first-half display. “It was really a disappointing game. In the first half, we were a shadow of ourselves,” he lamented.
A more spirited second half saw Mathare carve out numerous chances, but the finishing deserted them at the crucial moment. “We created five, six chances, but we didn’t bury them,” Kamau admitted, pointing to a lack of composure in the final third.
He also bemoaned lapses in concentration, which proved costly. “The opponent got a goal from an individual error, so it was very disappointing.”
Next up is a pivotal mid-week clash against Bidco United on Thursday, another side desperately searching for form. Bidco sit just a point behind Mathare in 12th and arrives on a seven-match winless streak.
Their recent form has seen them play to barren draws against APS Bomet, KCB and Bandari, with defeats to Tusker (1–0), Kenya Police (3–2), Posta Rangers (1–0) and most recently Shabana (1–0).
Their last league victory came on October 29, a 2–1 result against Ulinzi Stars. Last season, the spoils were shared across both fixtures with Mathare edging Bidco 1-0 in the first leg before Bidco hit back with a 2–0 win in the reverse fixture.
