Posta Rangers survive relegation despite loss to Naivas FC

Posta Rangers will remain in the FKF Premier League next season after edging out Naivas FC 2-1 on aggregate in the Promotion/Relegation Playoff, despite a 1-0 defeat in the second leg on Wednesday afternoon.

Naivas FC struck early through Markvivan Kesa, who found the back of the net in the 1st minute, giving the National Super League side a glimmer of hope for a historic comeback. The early goal stunned the Mailmen and sparked a dominant spell for Naivas, who pushed for an equalizer on aggregate throughout the match.

However, Posta Rangers held their nerve, leaning on their two-goal cushion from the first leg in Thika, where Felix Oluoch's brace had given them a crucial 2-0 away win. Despite Naivas' relentless pressure and several close calls, the KPL side did just enough to avoid a repeat of last season’s playoff scare.

This result means Posta Rangers retain their place in the top flight, while Naivas FC, who also finished third in the NSL last season and lost the playoff to Sofapaka, will remain in the second tier.

With this win, history continues to favor FKF Premier League sides in the playoffs. Since the introduction of the format seven years ago, only two National Super League teams Vihiga United (2020) and Kenya Police (2021) have successfully earned promotion via this route.