Gor Mahia up against APR in a must-win showdown
CECAFA Secretary General Nicholas Musonye during a past media briefing. Mr Musonye has challenged the team to stand up and be counted. PHOTO | FILE
What you need to know:
- The Kenyan champions are starring elimination in the face following straight loses in the two matches they have played so far in the tournament. Gor Mahia lost 1-2 to Uganda’s KCCA and 0-1 to Atletico of Rwanda.
- Coach Bobby Williamson will have a full squad to choose from with the exception of the exciting Ugandan left back Godfrey Walusimbi who did not feature in their last match owing to an infection.
- Gor sit at the bottom of Group B with no point from two matches, but they can still sneak into the quarters with victories in their last two group matches.
Gor Mahia have must beat Rwandan army side APR when the two teams clash Friday evening at the Kigali National Stadium, Nyamirambo inorder to keep their slim hopes of reaching the quarter finals of the Cecafa Club Championships alive.
The Kenyan champions are starring elimination in the face following straight loses in the two matches they have played so far in the tournament. Gor Mahia lost 1-2 to Uganda’s KCCA and 0-1 to Atletico of Rwanda.
But the club resolved at a dinner table on Wednesday night that they will do whatever it takes to remain in the competition.
Cecafa secretary general Nicholas Musonye, who was also present used the occasion to challenge the team to stand up and be counted.
BY NAME
“I have travelled with you (Gor Mahia) across Africa since 1981. I covered many of your matches during my time as a journalist and I know what you are capable of. I want to urge you to show your true character by winning the two matches,” Musonye said.
Calling the players by their names, the Cecafa boss particularly asked the team skipper Jerim Onyango to show leadership on the pitch.
“Jerim, you are the captain. I want to see your leadership. You have to do it. Owino (David) I want to see goals and Kizito (Geoffrey) I want to see what you are capable of doing,” he said before handing the players a cash token of $ 1,000 (Sh87,000).
An upbeat Jerim, who has so far been compact between the goal posts said they are highly motivated and ready for the match.
“We are okay. We have no issues troubling us and we are focused on the match. We believe all is not lost and we can still progress to the quarters and go all the way to lift the title,” Onyango told Daily Nation Sport.
Coach Bobby Williamson will have a full squad to choose from with the exception of the exciting Ugandan left back Godfrey Walusimbi who did not feature in their last match owing to an infection.
BOTTOM OF GROUP
Either Kevin Oluoch or Kennedy Opiyo will be slotted in place of Walusimbi who also sat out in Wednesday’s training session.
“In the first game we could have been 2-0 up at some point. We need to give our best and there is no reason why we should not be up for it,” Williamson said.
Gor sit at the bottom of Group B with no point from two matches, but they can still sneak into the quarters with victories in their last two group matches.
K’Ogalo will however be wary of the danger posed by APR’s threesome of Jean-Claude Iranzi, Jean Baptista and Michel Ndahinduka.
At the same time, Gor’s on-demand defender Haron Shakava says he will not let the burgeoning interest for his signature get into his head.
The towering centre-half said he is only focused on helping K’Ogalo in the tournament and will not be distracted by the interest shown by South African club Mamelodi Sundowns.
