Godfrey Okeya’s early-year risk-taking appears to be paying off at his current team, Mogadishu City FC, who are title contenders in the Somali Premier League and previous CAF Champions League participants from the Horn of Africa. Okea, having seen his starting position at FKF Premier League side Muhoroni Youth gradually slip away, opted to venture out, and Mogadishu City were more than welcoming. Three months later, he commands a tremendous amount of minutes for a city side that sits third in the 12-team Premier League standings, and he is more than happy to leave an indelible mark in this chapter of his career. ‘’I would say so far so good. I needed a new challenge so coming over here was an informed decision because it’s a good league, very competitive,’’ says the fleet-footed midfielder. Recent outings for City have not been tidy, he admits. Suffering two back-to-back losses, City have seen themselves drop to third after a 3-1 humiliation in their backyard by Gaadidka and a later 1-0 fall to Dekedaha. Okeya views it as a minor setback that they can address during the midseason break in the league.‘’In my experience, sometimes that happens to top teams. It’s a wake-up call, however, because the aim of the entire team is to contest for the league title and later on at least represent the country in continental football,” continues the former Gusii United man.##NAJAVA_MECA_8118090##The Somali Premier League has, just as in the past, continued to attract top talents from neighbouring countries. A country that grappled with internal conflicts in the decade, the current stable state of the state on the rise has caught the attention of a few top prospects from within the East African region, and not only sports-wise. Dozens of professionals and expats alike have found a safe haven in Somalia, and many more continue to venture out. Okeya is not the only Kenyan footballer plying his trade here. Patrick Ochieng and Erick Odhiambo play for Badbaado, which Okeya whipped 4-1 in the first leg.”We always interact when we’re here, even off the field,” says Okeya of his countrymen. “Playing against them is just work, but they did give us a good game too.”The capital city side has previously played in the CAF Champions League; their last appearance was a narrow loss to Rwandan champions APR FC. Okeya, who, during his time in the FKF Premier League, could only dream of continental football, sees an opportunity here. ”Winning the league means winning continental football, and that can be a huge stepping stone for me personally. We continue to work towards it,’’ he adds. If the ten-time Somali Premier League champions are to reclaim their championship title, they must mount a vigorous second-leg campaign, as Dekedaha currently holds pole position. They have not only remained undefeated in the first leg but also consistently score freely whenever they take to the field. The league breaks ahead for the FIFA International recess.