Audio By Vocalize
Gor Mahia coach Charles Akonnor believes the ongoing Cecafa Kagame Cup has given his side the perfect platform to prepare for the upcoming CAF Champions League qualifiers after K’Ogalo booked a place in the tournament final.
The Kenyan champions will face Rwanda’s Rayon Sports in Friday’s final at Amahoro Stadium in Kigali after surviving a tense semi-final against the Sudanese giants Al Hilal.
Gor Mahia needed penalties to seal their place in the final after a thrilling 1-1 draw that stretched into extra time. K’Ogalo held their nerve to win the shootout 8-7 and move within one victory of ending a 40-year wait for the regional title.
Akonnor said the tournament has been important in helping his players improve as they prepare for bigger continental assignments.
“The Cecafa Kagame Cup has been very important for us. It has given us competitive matches against strong teams, and that is exactly what we need before the CAF Champions League qualifiers,” said Akonnor.
“We are building a team and every game has helped us understand where we are and what we still need to improve. The experience from this tournament will help us when we start our Champions League campaign.”
Gor Mahia took the lead against Al Hilal in the 34th minute after defender Steven Ebuela accidentally turned the ball into his own net. However, Al Hilal responded quickly, with Ansumana Samura scoring the equaliser just 10 minutes later.
Neither side managed to find the winning goal during the remainder of normal time or in extra time, forcing the contest into penalties. Gor Mahia converted all but one of their spot kicks before sealing an 8-7 victory to spark celebrations among the travelling fans.
Akonnor praised his players for remaining calm under pressure.
“I am happy with the character the players showed. We faced a very experienced team but we never gave up. Winning such difficult matches gives the players confidence, and confidence is very important before playing in continental competitions,” he said.
Gor Mahia reached the semi-finals after finishing top of Group A despite mixed results. They opened the tournament with an impressive 5-0 victory over APR FC before suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat to Uganda’s Vipers SC. They then secured a 1-0 win over Djibouti’s Garde Républicaine in their final group match despite playing with 10 men.
Friday’s final will present another tough challenge.
Rayon Sports have been the tournament’s best-performing team, winning all four of their matches. The Rwandan side also defeated Gor Mahia 2-0 in a pre-season friendly in Kigali just over two weeks ago and will head into the final full of confidence after beating South Sudan’s Jamus SC 3-1 in the semi-finals.
Despite the difficult task ahead, Akonnor believes the final offers his team a chance to measure their progress.
“We respect Rayon Sports because they are a very good team, but this is another opportunity for us to compete at a high level. Our goal is to keep improving, fight for the trophy and continue preparing well for the CAF Champions League,” said the former Ghana international.
“We are building a team and every game has helped us understand where we are and what we still need to improve. The experience from this tournament will help us when we start our Champions League campaign.”