Record Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League champions Gor Mahia headed out to Suez, Egypt on Wednesday morning to start their CAF Confederation Cup campaign with the hope of putting a positive spark to their campaign.
K'Ogalo started the FKF Premier League title assault positively with victory over KCB on match day one two weeks ago and it is with this momentum they hope to start their continental campaign with. The FKF Betway Cup champions face off with Sudanese side Al Ahly Merowe in the second preliminary round, having been given a bye for the first round.
Captain Harun Shakava says the team has prepared well for the game and remains confident they can pick a positive result. “The last two weeks have been really vital for us to try and put everything into perspective. We have had time to rest and recover as well as enough period to train as a team for this important fixture. I believe that everyone has their focus up and is ready to take on the first match,” the defender said.
Gor have had their fair share of troubles this season. They will be forced to play the first two rounds of the Confederation Cup with a fairly thin squad. By the time the CAF window for transfers was closing, the Kenyan champions were not able to register new players due to a FIFA transfer ban.
Gor were handed the transfer ban for failing to pay their former coach Steve Polack as well as winger Dickson Ambundo. By the time they were clearing the hefty accrued sums owed to the two, the window was already closed. But Shakava says they are willing to overlook the challenges ahead of them and pick up positive results.
"It is never easy playing away from home but our focus is to try and get a positive result. A draw or a win will put us in a good position for the first leg. We don’t know much about our opponents but we will go to give a good account of ourselves. They have qualified for the tournament and that means they are not an easy team,” he added. Merowe are playing in Suez, Egypt, as none of their home venues have been approved to host continental matches by CAF.
Head Coach Mark Harrison has also praised the team heading into the campaign. "We only have 17 players available for the Caf Confederation Cup because of the Fifa ban hence new players couldn’t be registered earlier. We have no injuries in the squad and have intensified our training sessions ahead of the Caf and league matches,” the British tactician said. “I have gauged my players and we are now ready for the league and Caf matches. I expect good performance in both competitions,” he added.
Gor Mahia have signed midfielder Austin Odhiambo from AFC Leopards, Wazito duo of Dennis Ng’ang’a and Boniface Omondi, Kariobangi Sharks trio of Peter Oudu, Joshua Onyango and Peter Lwasa, Adama Keita from Mali and Sando Yangayay. The new players have all been registered for league assignments as confirmed by coach Harrison.
Players :
Gad Mathews
Caleb Omondi
Philemon Otieno
Harun Shakava
Frank Odhiambo
Joachim Oluoch
Ernest Wendo
John Ochieng
Victor Ayugi
Alpha Onyango
Sydney Ochieng
John Macharia
Samuel Onyango
Jules Ulimwengu
Benson Omalla
Fred Nkata
John Nyawir
Technical Staff:
Mark Harrison - Head Coach
Sammy Pamzo Omollo - Assistant Coach
Jolawi Obondo - Team Manager
Jerim Onyango - Keeper trainer
Musa Hamisi - Fitness trainer
George Omondi - Kit Manager