Gor Mahia ready to roll over Al Merreikh in CAF Champions League preliminary round

Kenya's representatives at the CAF Champions League, Gor Mahia, are set to jet out of the country on Thursday, August 15, 2024, for the first leg of the preliminary round of the competition set to be played in Juba against South Sudanese giants, Al Merreikh Bentiu.

K’Ogalo chairman, Ambrose Rachier, says the club will jet out aboard a Kenya Airways plane at 1pm EAT, with the match scheduled for Sunday, August 18, 2024.

“We will jet out on Thursday, August 15 at 1pm EAT. We are going early to acclimatize ourselves with the weather in Sudan,” said Rachier.

Rachier indicated that the travelling party consists of 22 players and officials of the technical bench. 

The chairman said the team is ready to start the campaign on a high against the South Sudanese club, hoping to secure the victory in the return leg a week later in Nairobi.

“The team is much improved now, far much better than the team that played at the CECAFA Kagame tournament recently. We want to go far and we don’t expect to exit at the preliminary stage.”

Gor will face champions Al Ahly in the next phase of the competition, if they advance past the two-legged preliminary stage.

Al Ahly are the defending CAF Champions League champions, meaning Gor will have a daunting task in the campaign if they get to face the much-experienced Egyptians. Al Ahly are the most successful team in the competition having won the title 12 times, with a total of 26 teams winning it all-inclusive.

Rachier has, in the meantime, confirmed that prolific midfielder Austin Odhiambo is among the players set to feature in the tournament, noting that his inclusion is a big boost following the exit of last season golden boot winner Benson Omala who has joined a Lebanese Club, Al Safa FC.

“I can confirm that Austin is among those travelling to Sudan with the team. He has had ups and downs but is currently fit both mentally and physically to do duty for us,” noted Rachier.

The last time Gor Mahia featured in a continental assignment was in 2021 against Zambia’s Napsa Stars, which denied them a group stage slot after Zambian international Emmanuel Mayuka netted a 98th minute penalty past custodian Boniface Oluoch.

In the first leg, Napsa Stars pipped Gor 1-0 at the Nyayo National Stadium, with Napsa eliminating them on a 2-0 aggregate score.

Recently, K’Ogalo failed to travel to Nigeria for an invitational Coal Copa tournament after a section of players declined to train demanding some unpaid allowances.

Gor has in the meantime beefed up its squad, with the chairman confirming the signing of five players.

The five include, Alphonce Omija, Ghanaian Enock Morrison, Ugandan attacking midfielder Chris Akena, Congolese striker Gedeon Bendeka and Samuel Kapen from Nairobi City Stars.

In an earlier interview, Rachier indicated that the task ahead of the now absorbed Brazilian coach Leo Neiva was to take Gor beyond the group stages of the competition.

Gor is the only team from the great CECAFA region to have lifted a continental title. This was in 1987 when they beat Tunisian side, Esperance to win the then Nelson Mandela Cup.  

They drew 2-2 in Tunis and 1-1 in Nairobi with Gor having the advantage of the away goal rule.