Go, Gor, go for goals!
Gor Mahia, Kenya's representatives in Africa’s top club football competition, Caf Champions League, face a big test when they play Rwandan club APR in the return leg of the preliminary round matches of the tournament at Nyayo National Stadium today.
With home-ground advantage, Gor Mahia have a good chance of overturning a 2-1 loss the team suffered in the first leg on November 28 in Kigali to progress to the next stage of the competition. Gor need to win 1-0 today to reach the first round of the lucrative tournament.
With national football team Harambee Stars virtually out of contention for a place in 2021 Africa Cup of Nations tournament, Gor Mahia remain Kenya’s only hope in continental football championship.
Kenya’s hopes of qualifying for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations are hanging on a thread after a 1-1 draw with Comoros in Nairobi on November 11 and a 2-1 loss away in Moroni five days later. The team is third in Group G with three points behind Egypt and Comoros, who have eight points each.
Kenya needs a miracle to qualify for the tournament. The team must beat Egypt on March 22 in Nairobi and Togo away on March 30 and hope Comoros beat Egypt if the team is to qualify for the biennial championship.
The Under-20 team failed to qualify for 2021 Africa Cup of Nations tournament after losing 3-1 to Uganda in the semi-finals of Cecafa Junior Tournament in Arusha on Monday. The Africa Under-20 finals will be held in February in Mauritius.
Gor Mahia are regular competitors in Caf tournaments, having won the 1987 Africa Cup Winners Cup. The team reached the group stage of Caf Confederation Cup in 2018.
Cash-strapped Gor Mahia stand to get Sh58 million for reaching the group stage of the tournament whose winners will pocket a cool Sh300 million. Gor officials must stop unnecessary squabbling and pull in the same direction to deliver victory.
We wish Gor Mahia the best of luck.
