Star duo out as Gor Mahia jet out for Atletico showdown

Kenyan champions Gor Mahia will be seeking to maintain their fine start to the Caf Confederation group stage when they face Angolan giants Atlético Petróleos de Luanda at the Estádio 11 de Novembro in Luanda on Wednesday.

This will be Gor's second match in Group D, and it comes 10 days after K’Ogalo convincingly dispatched Zamalek 4-2 in Kasarani. Eritrean referees led by Tsegay Mogos Teklu will take charge of the match which will kick off at 7pm EAT.

The team left Nairobi Tuesday morning high in confidence but severely disadvantaged in terms of personnel, as key strikers Dennis Oliech and Jacques Tuyisenge failed to travel.

TUYISENGE SUSPENDED

Oliech is nursing an injury picked last Friday during a training session at Camp Toyoyo, while Tuyisenge has accumulated two yellow cards and is therefore ineligible to play in Wednesday’s match.

The situation is the same for defender Philemon “Mbish” Otieno, who was also left out of the travelling contingent for having collected two bookings.

Midfielder Lawrence Juma and defender Wellington Ochieng are also unwell, although the latter travelled with the squad and could be available for selection should he pass a late fitness test.

In Oliech and Tuyisenge’s absences, K’Ogalo will rely on youthful forwards Francis Mustapha and Nicholas Kipkirui to do the job in Luanda.

Kipkurui scored on his Caf debut 10 days ago against Zamalek.

The other attacking option on his side is Ugandan import Erisa Ssekisambu - who has been used sparingly by Gor coach Hassan Oktay this season.

"My only worry is Juma’s fitness level. I think he is one of the best midfielders in Kenya but he is not well. Apart from that I believe we’ve got what it takes so we shall do our best to win,” Oktay said.

Gor are on top of Group D with three points courtesy of that stunning win over Zamalek, while Atletico are bottom of the group with no points after their 2-1 opening day loss away to NA Dey Hussein of Algeria.

The Kenyans will fancy their chances, but Oktay will need to be wary of Gor's sick away record in the Caf fixtures.

The Cypriot’s best away result in their Caf Confederation Cup campaign was a Champions League play-off win against Nyasa Big Bullets in the penalty shootout in Blantyre, Malawi. They are yet to pick a victory on the road in this campaign.

While Gor have qualified for the group stage of this competition for two years now, Atletico have been missing from this stage for the last four years, and have not made it to the group stage of any Caf competition since 2006.