Who will blink first? Gor tackle Zamalek in Alexandria
What you need to know:
- Zamalek fans had petitioned their club managers to effect the change since Borg El Arab is outside the capital and therefore outside the convenience of most supporters. They also raised concerns over the size of the stadium, which might be "too big for any impactful cheering."
- The other reason the White Knight fans wanted to change the venue was because the team is yet to record a win at Borg El Arab stadium in the ongoing Caf Confederation Cup matches.
The Confederation of African Football has declined Zamalek’s request to change the venue for Sunday’s must-win clash against Gor Mahia from the 86,000-seater Borg El Arab Stadium in Alexandria to the 16,000-seater Petro Sport Stadium in Cairo.
Zamalek fans had petitioned their club managers to effect the change since Borg El Arab is outside the capital and therefore outside the convenience of most supporters. They also raised concerns over the size of the stadium, which might be "too big for any impactful cheering."
The other reason the White Knight fans wanted to change the venue was because the team is yet to record a win at Borg El Arab stadium in the ongoing Caf Confederation Cup matches.
This request was however declined since it was not made within the stipulated timelines (seven days prior to the match).
Still, Gor require plenty of spirit as they prepare to face the Egyptians in what is expected to be an explosive battle as both sides eye point to move closer to the 2019 Caf Confederation Cup quarter-finals.
The Kenyan champions yet again find themselves with a Herculean task of wining away in North Africa, a jinx the club is yet to break in over two decades.
They will also be facing a team that has nine players who turned out for Egypt in the 2018 Fifa World Cup in Russia.
'NO ROOM FOR ERROR'
K’Ogalo must get at least a point from the match and hope that the other Group D match pitting NA Hussein Dey against Petro Atletico in Luanda ends in their favour to remain in contention for a place in the last eight of the competition.
Zamalek will be seeking revenge after their shock 4-2 loss to Gor in Nairobi last month.
Gor will be without Ugandan left back Shaffiq Batambuze and veteran striker Dennis Oliech who both been ruled out of the match. Batambuze collected his second consecutive yellow card against NA Hussein Dey last weekend and is therefore ineligible, while Oliech is out injured.
In the meantime, Zamalek have benefited from the return to fitness of influential centre-back Mahmoud Alaa, as well as star midfielder Tarek Hamed and striker Mahmoud Abdel Monem who were serving suspensions.
“Zamalek are giants in the North and Gor Mahia are giants in East Africa and so it will be a clash of giants that we are very much ready for," Gor coach Hassan Oktay told Nation Sport from Alexandria.
Gor are placed second in Group D on six points from four games while NA Hussein Dey are at the top of the pile with seven. Zamalek are third and Angola's Petro Atletico are last.
