Will they sparkle? Gor draw Yanga, Al-Khartoum in Kagame Cup
Gor Mahia players celebrate a goal in a past Kenyan Premier League match. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |
What you need to know:
- Khartoum were included in this tournament to replace compatriots and defending champions El Merreikh
- High-flying Gor Mahia, under the stewardship of Frank Nuttall, will be all out to post a much better performance in this competition, after suffering an embarrassing group stage exit last year.
- Last year's losing finalists Rwanda's Patriotic Army (APR), another Sudanese outfit Al Shandy, LLB (Burundi) and Elman (Somalia) will comprise Group B.
- All matches in this three-week competition will be held at the 60,000-seater National Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
Former Gor Mahia midfielder Anthony "Teddy" Akumu will face his old club at this year's Cecafa Kagame Cup in Tanzania next month.
The reunion was confirmed after the draw for this year's regional club football tournament was held on Wednesday in Dar es Salaam, which pooled Akumu's current Sudanese club Al-Khartoum alongside the Kenyan Premier League champions in Pool A.
Khartoum were included in the tournament to replace compatriots and defending champions El Merreikh, who asked to be excluded so as to concentrate on featuring in the ongoing Africa Champions League group stages.
Tanzania's Vodacom Premier League champions Yanga SC, Djibouti's Telecom and Zanzibar's Kikosi Maalum Cha Kuzuia Magendo (KMKM) are the other clubs in K'Ogalo's group.
"Playing against Gor Mahia will be weird because they are a team that I like the most, but I will try as much to be professional," Akumu told Daily Nation Sport from Sudan.
BETTER PERFORMANCE
High-flying Gor Mahia, who are yet to lose a league match this term, will be all out to post a much better performance in this competition, after suffering an embarrassing group stage exit last year, when the competition was held in Rwanda.
Last year's losing finalists Rwanda's Patriotic Army (APR), another Sudanese outfit Al Shandy, LLB (Burundi) and Elman (Somalia) will comprise Group B.
Group C has Azam (Tanzania), Malakia (South Sudan), Kampala City Council (Uganda) and Adama City (Ethiopia). Two teams from each of these three groups, alongside the two best losers will proceed to the quarter-finals of the competition.
"We have secured the funds to cover for the transport and all the other logistics. Everything is set and as usual, the region should expect top class entertainment," said Cecafa Secretary-General Nicholas Musonye.
All matches in this three-week competition will be held at the 60,000-seater National Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
The top three teams will each be handed Sh3 million, Sh2 million and Sh1 million respectively, in prize money.
