Gor Mahia are in a bullish mood ahead of their CAF Confederation Cup play-off first leg fixture against New Star de Douala on Sunday evening.
K’Ogalo, as they are nicknamed in Kenya, are currently on a three-match unbeaten run in their domestic league and are in no mood to let the winning end at the Kasarani Stadium.
The team has a clean bill of health ahead of the clash apart from two players, Harun Shakava and Joash Onyango, who will miss the tie over disciplinary issues that arose in their CAF Champions League knockout game against Lobi Stars FC in Enugu, Nigeria last month.
K’Ogalo coach Hassan Oktay says the team is hitting their straps: “Even without my two key defenders, there is enough quality in the squad to secure a good first leg result.”
[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””] “I have been rotating the squad and each player has something to offer the team. We will be ready for the game.” [/perfectpullquote]
“I have noticed that our opponents play better football at home, meaning we have the upper hand.”
“It’s not only important for the club but for the entire country that we make it to the next phase and that is all we aim to do,” Oktay underlined.
However, Gor Mahia mustn’t think that New Star are going to be a walkover.
The Cameroon side believe an early strike will settle the game against K’Ogalo, as disclosed by their assistant coach Patrice Fosto.
“I must say that Gor Mahia is a historical club with huge success in Kenya compared to us. We are a young team but that shouldn’t create fear in the team, we believe in ourselves, we are expecting to get an early goal,” he said in an interview with Ducor Sports ahead of team departure from Limbe.
New Stars warmed up to the Sunday match with a 1-0 victory over Real Foot Academy 1-0 but will have to travel without midfield maestro Aristide Medjo who was sent during their CAF tie with Al Ahly Tripoli in Limbe.
The clash will be officiated by Tunisia referee Guirat Haythem while compatriots Yamen Malloulchi and Khalil Hassani will serve as the first and second assistant referees respectively.
Gor dropped to Africa’s second tier interclub competition after falling 2-0 to Lobi Stars of Nigeria in the CAF Champions League first round second-leg to bow out on away goals following a 3-3 aggregate score.
