Gor Mahia maintained their perfect start to the SportPesa League season with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Kakamega Homeboyz at Bukhungu Stadium on Wednesday, thanks to David Okoth’s stunning second-half strike.

The former Homeboyz winger struck in the 69th minute to hand the defending champions their fourth consecutive victory and take their points tally to 12 from four matches.

Gor Mahia coach Charles Akonnor was pleased with the result, acknowledging the challenge posed by the hosts.

“We knew this would be a difficult match because Homeboyz are a good side, especially when playing at home,” Akonnor said.

The Ghanaian coach said his players had to remain patient against a side that defended in numbers and made it difficult to create clear openings.

“We needed to move the ball quicker and use the spaces on the wings. The players worked hard, but we had to make a few changes to get the result,” he said.

Akonnor praised his substitutes for their impact, saying their introduction helped Gor Mahia find the breakthrough.

“When you make changes, you expect the players coming in to make a difference. They did their job, and David scored a very good goal,” he said.

He added that winning away from home was important as Gor Mahia seek to defend their league title.

“These are the kind of matches that test you. We are happy with the three points, but there is still a lot of work to do,” he said.

Homeboyz coach Edward Manoah blamed a lapse in concentration for the defeat, saying his players had competed well but failed to manage a crucial moment.

“We played well for long periods, but we lost concentration at a very important moment. Against a team like Gor Mahia, you cannot afford such mistakes,” Manoah said.

He felt his side had opportunities to get back into the match but lacked the finishing touch.

“We created chances, especially towards the end, but we did not take them. That is something we must improve,” he said.

Manoah also admitted that Gor Mahia’s second-half changes affected the midfield battle.

“They brought on fresh players, and we allowed them more room than we should have. We must learn from this and prepare for the next match,” he said.

The visitors suffered an early setback when defender Portipher Odhiambo was forced off through injury in the 12th minute. Lesley Otieno came on, allowing Ebenezer Ocran to drop into defence.

Gor Mahia struggled to find a breakthrough in the first half, with Alpha Onyango coming close in the 43rd minute. His header was saved, and the rebound fell to Machaka, who shot over the bar.

Homeboyz threatened after the break, but Gor Mahia nearly took the lead in the 48th minute when Machaka’s long cross struck the inside of the post.

Akonnor responded with a triple substitution in the 59th minute, introducing Jackson Dwang, Ebenezer Assifuah and Ben Stanley for Machaka, Shariff and Paul Okoth.

The changes paid off 10 minutes later when Okoth collected the ball on the left and unleashed a powerful shot past Homeboyz goalkeeper Farouk Wanzala.

Goalkeeper Humphrey Katasi made an important save in the 89th minute to preserve his clean sheet as the hosts pushed for an equaliser.

Elsewhere, KCB beat Mombasa United 3-1, Murang’a SEAL edged Nairobi United 3-2, APS Bomet defeated 3K FC 3-1, while Bandari drew 0-0 with Posta Rangers.