'Mature' Gor ready for Esperance - Shakava

Gor Mahia skipper Harun Shakava during a training session on February 13, 2018 at Camp Toyoyo ground in Nairobi. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |

By  Vincent Opiyo, SJ

What you need to know:

  • K’Ogalo eliminated Equatoguinean champions Leones Vegetarianos 3-1 on aggregate to book another date with Tunisian giants Esperance in the first round of the qualifiers.
  • The record Kenyan champions forced a 1-1 draw in Malabo on Wednesday to sail through having secured a 2-0 victory in the first leg played in Machakos 11 days ago.

Gor Mahia skipper Harun Shakava believes the Kenyan champions have what it takes to go all the way to the group stages of this year’s Caf Champions League.

K’Ogalo eliminated Equatoguinean champions Leones Vegetarianos 3-1 on aggregate to book another date with Tunisian giants Esperance in the first round of the qualifiers.

The record Kenyan champions forced a 1-1 draw in Malabo on Wednesday to sail through having secured a 2-0 victory in the first leg played in Machakos 11 days ago.

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The team is scheduled to jet back this morning to kick start preparations for the next round, with Gor Mahia hosting the first leg tie slated for March 6. The reverse fixture will be 10 days later in Tunis.

Gor were humiliated by the Tunisian side 8-2 on aggregate in the same stage in 2014.

Esperance won both meetings - 3-2 at Nyayo Stadium before recording an emphatic 5-0 win at Stade Olympique Rades in the return leg fixture - but Shakava believes the Kenyan side has come of age.

“We’ve played them before but both teams have effected changes in their roster. We know how difficult it will be but we are going to prepare in order to achieve our target of reaching the group stages,” the towering defender told Nation Sport on Thursday.

From the current squad, only Shakava, Kevin “Ade” Omondi and George Odhiambo played against the perennial African giants in 2014, with Shakava scoring one of the two goals at Nyayo Stadium on March 1.

CONTINENTAL GLORY

In 1987, Gor forced a 2-2 draw away in Tunis and 1-1 in the second leg at Kasarani to clinch the Africa Winners’ Cup, dubbed Mandela Cup, becoming the first East and Central Africa club to win the current edition of Caf Confederation Cup.

The winner between Gor and Esperance will grace the lucrative group stages - with the draw set for March 21. The losers in the first round of the Champions League qualifiers drop to the Caf Confederation Cup where a two-legged playoff awaits them.

Gor visit Kariobangi Sharks in a league fixture on Sunday in Machakos.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

March 1, 2014; Gor Mahia 2-3 Esperance (Nyayo Stadium)

March 10, 2014; Esperance 5-0 Gor Mahia (Stade de Rades, Tunis)

1987

Esperance 2-2 Gor Mahia (Tunis)

Gor Mahia 1-1 Esperance (MISC Kasarani)

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