CECAFA Kagame Cup 24: Gor Mahia face must win encounter in clash against Djibouti Telecom

Record Kenyan champions Gor Mahia have their work cut out when they take on Djibouti Telecom on Saturday night (2100EAT) in their second match at the ongoing CECAFA Kagame Cup 2024 taking place in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Having succumbed to a 0-1 defeat against Red Arrows from Zambia in their opening match, K’Ogalo need nothing short of a win if they are to have any chances of making it beyond the group stages of the 12-team competition.

With only four teams – three group winners and the best runner-up – progressing to the next round which is the semifinals, K’Ogalo have no more room for slipups in their quest to end their 39-year title drought in the CECAFA Kagame Cup competition.

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Gor are three-time winners of the regional showpiece but last lifted the gong in 1985 after triumphs in 1980 and 1981.

Speaking ahead of the game, new K’Ogalo boss Leo Neiva urged his side to fight for all three points even as they still try to understand each other better and better but laid more emphasis on the team using the opportunity in the competition to understand his tactical requirements.

“We are just thinking about a win for the match. We made excellent observations for the game with both teams looking for a win but this Kagame Cup competition is like preparation for us

I am going to use it like a laboratory to test the players and even for me to observe them and then check their performance. If we win or lose but the players get it right about our tactics, I will be satisfied.

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We are going to think about winning obviously but during preseason we must put the focus on tactics to implement some issues step by step,” Neiva told SportPesa News.

On the other hand, Djibouti Telecom head coach Mohamed-Kader Daher Ahmed said, “We are happy to have this opportunity to test our team against a top side from the region. This is a very good tournament for our team.”

This will be the second time the two sides are facing each other after their first meeting in 2015 where K’Ogalo won 3-1.

In another Group B clash, Al Hilal and Red Arrows will be looking to get the job done with a match to spare when they face each other at 1800EAT.

Both sides won their opening matches and could all but secure their ticket with another victory.

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