Dj Vnyash
Gor Mahia striker Benson Omalla has signed a one-year contract with Lebanon’s top club, Al-Safa FC, for an undisclosed fee.
Omalla, who was the leading scorer in the FKF Premier League last season with 19 goals, was officially announced as a new player on the club’s social media platforms.
Al-Safa FC finished fourth in the 12-team Lebanese league last season and is looking to strengthen its attack in pursuit of the title. The team plays at the 4,000-seat Safa Stadium and has won three Lebanese league titles and three FA Cups, among other honors.
This move comes as K’Ogalo prepares for their CAF Champions League preliminary first-leg match against South Sudan’s Al Merreikh FC on Sunday in Juba, Sudan.
Omalla’s previous attempt to transfer to Algerian club JS Saoura fell through in February due to paperwork delays, despite Gor Mahia’s earlier announcement that the deal was finalized.
The former Western Stima player was a key contributor to Gor Mahia’s back-to-back FKF Premier League title victories, scoring a total of 45 goals, and his absence will be felt significantly. With the transfer window still open, K’Ogalo may look to bring in a new striker, but for now, coach Leonardo will rely on Congolese Gedeon Bendeka, young talent Chris Ochieng, and Mark Shaban.
Omalla joined Gor Mahia in 2020 after being recruited from Manyatta United, the winners of the Chapa Dimba na Safaricom season one tournament in 2019. The 22-year-old, a Kisumu Day alumnus, also had a brief spell with Swedish club FC Linköping City in 2021 and has made six appearances for the Harambee Stars, scoring two goals.
Known for his speed and goal-scoring ability, Omalla has faced criticism for his first touch and offside positioning. Nevertheless, he silenced his critics by netting 58 league goals for Gor Mahia over four seasons.
Former Gor Mahia coach Johnathan McKinstry always praised Omalla’s talent and predicted a future move to a bigger league. “Omalla is young, talented, and consistent; he will go places. His move to Algeria may have failed, but I know he will get another deal soon,” McKinstry said.
Omalla’s most memorable performance included scoring twice against rivals AFC Leopards in the first leg of the Mashemeji derby during the 2023/2024 season. He is also noted for missing a crucial penalty that contributed to K’Ogalo’s unbeaten streak since 2016 being broken by a 2-1 defeat.
Meanwhile, Omalla’s brother, Duncan, is training with Shabana FC, hoping to secure a spot with the team. The Kenya U-18 forward came on as a substitute during Shabana’s recent 1-0 loss to Kenya Police FC in a friendly match.
