Gor get Champs League campaign going in Machakos
From left, Gor Mahia captain and defender Harun Shakava, forward Boniface Omondi and defender Wellington Ochieng relax at Gellian Hotel in Machakos on February 9, 2018 on the eve of their Caf Champions League preliminary round, first leg match against Leones Vegetarianos of Equatorial Guinea. The match kicks off at 3pm at Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos. PHOTO | KANYIRI WAHITO |
What you need to know:
- Green Army expected to descend on Machakos ahead of 3pm match kick-off.
- Kenyan champions K’Ogalo eager to feed on Vegetarianos of Equatorial Guinea at Kenyatta Stadium on Saturday as they start their campaign for an appearance in the tournament’s elusive group phase.
Gor Mahia will Saturday afternoon join 59 other African clubs in the race for the 2018 Caf Champions League.
The 16-time Kenyan champions will be up against Equatorial Guinea’s Leones Vegeterianos in the preliminary round, first leg of the 54th edition of the tournament from 3pm at Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos.
K’Ogalo will be returning to Africa’s top club competition after a year-long hiatus, and they have set their sights on a first appearance in the group stage.
Achieving that will require a great deal of hard work and focus.
Their opponents, Les Vegeterianos, are making their first appearance in this competition having won their first league title last year, which makes K’Ogalo overwhelming favourites in the game.
Early this week, Gor Mahia coach Dylan Kerr expressed concerns over the scarcity of information about Les Vegeterianos, saying he had searched online and elsewhere for any information on the west Africa outfit but with no success.
He said that this complicated his training program ahead of the game.
“I don’t know anything about that team. I have searched everywhere but I haven’t come up with even one video. I don’t know any of their payers, which means I know neither the strengths nor the weaknesses of the team. I just hope the fans will come and support us like they always do,” he said.
Gor beat the January 15 deadline for submission of squad names to Caf despite earlier reports that they would withdraw from the competitions due to lack of funds following the exit of their shirt sponsors SportPesa.
NEW SIGNINGS
The Kenyan champions have bolstered their squad with seven new players, among them Kenyan international Samuel Onyango, Ivorian Ephrem Guikan and the former Tusker duo of Cersidy Lumumba and Humphrey Mieno.
And for the first time in a decade, the green and white will have to do without the services of defender Musa Mohammed who ditched the club in December to join KF Tiranna of Albania. Harun Shakava has since been named captain.
Shakava will take his position in central defence in partnership with Joash Onyango, as Wellington Ochieng and Wesley Onguso complete the team’s backline.
Prolific striker Meddie Kagere, who scored a hat-trick against Nakumatt last weekend, is sure to lead the team’s attack with help from returnee Kevin “Ade” Omondi, as Mieno and Francis Kahata cover the midfield.
To prepare for the match, K’Ogalo were in Nakuru for a fortnight-long training camp. They trounced Ugandan champions KCCA 4-2 in a friendly match.
Left back Godfrey Walusimbi will be making a return to the starting line-up after missing out the Kenyan Premier League opener last weekend against Nakumatt, although striker Jacques Tuyisenge remains doubtful with to a hip injury.
Les Vegeterianos arrived in the country on Thursday and drove straight to Machakos where they held two training sessions at the Kenyatta Stadium.
