Beaten SportPesa Cup Kings Gor Turn Attention To Confed Cup

NAIROBI, Kenya- Gor Mahia FC have shifted focus to the 2018/19 CAF Confederations Cup following their shocking exit from the third edition of the ongoing SportPesa Cup in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on Wednesday afternoon.

The SportPesa Premier League (SPL) champions lost 4-3 on post match penalties to Mbao FC of Tanzania after a 1-1 draw in regulation time.

“Everything did not work out for Gor in the match. I believe we tried our best but all factors were against us,” head coach, Hassan Oktay underlined when the team jetted back at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport at 1pm EAT (+3 GMT).

READ MORE: Plucky Mbao Depose Mighty Gor From SportPesa Cup Throne

Oktay said attention turns to the forthcoming CAF Confederations Cup group stage matches where they are drawn against Egyptian titans, Zamalek FC, Angolan heavyweights, Petro Atletico FC of Luanda and Algerian side NA Hussein Dey.

“We will use the SPL fixtures against Kenya Commercial Bank FC and Sony Sugar FC to step up preparations ahead of our tie against Zamalek,” Oktay underlined.

Club CEO, Lordvick Aduda said they used their clash with Mbao to test some of the players they have entered for the CAF competition adding strikers Dennis Oliech and Nicholas Kipkirui as well as left full back, Geofrey Ochieng, have been added in the CAF list.

“I believe Oliech’s experience and agility of Kipkirui will help us to perform in the continental competition,” he underscored.

READ MORE: Gor's Batambuze Hopes Its Third Time SportPesa Cup Lucky

Aduda said the sides they are pooled with in Group D of the second tier continental tournament are beatable, with Gor aiming to qualify for the quarterfinals after narrowly missing the last four in the previous edition.

“Zamalek is no longer the dreaded side of 20 years ago, our game plan will be take each  game at a time,” he noted.

"The most critical matches were against Lobi Stars FC of Nigeria away in Enugu and New Star of Cameroon in Limbe, the encounters were a disaster. It needed mental strength to pull through in the volatile clashes,” Aduda highlighted.

READ MORE: Champions Gor Mahia Tipped To Retain SportPesa Cup

Team captain Harun Shakava, who  rued his missed penalty against Mbao, said he is hopeful that CAF will clear him and his fellow defender, Joash Onyango in time ahead of the Zamalek duel.

The two centre backs were suspended by the continental football governing body after their game with Lobi Stars who won on an away goal rule after 3-3 aggregate to sail into the CAF Champions League group stage in December.

“We know our opponents from the Arab nations are tough, so we have to prepare for them well. I believe with the right attitude and mental focus we will go beyond where we reached last season,” he emphasised.

After facing Zamalek at home, Gor will travel to Luanda to face the 15-time Angolan league winners a week later (February 13).

READ MORE: Drained Gor Land In Dar In Pursuit Of SportPesa Cup Hat Trick

The SPL winners will then play a double header against Hussein Dey with the home leg on February 24 and the away clash March 3 before the most difficult tie on paper when they visit Cairo to face Zamalek on March 10.

Atletico will travel to Nairobi in the final round of Group D encounters on March 17 with Gor aiming at going deeper than last year when they missed a quarterfinal ticket by a single point after finishing third in a pool that had USM Alger FC (Algeria), Rayon Sport FC (Rwanda) as Yanga SC (Tanzania) finished last.

GOR CAFCC GROUP D FIXTURES

03/02/19 Gor Mahia vs Zamalek 

13/02/19 Atletico Petrolous vs Gor Mahia

24/02/19 Gor Mahia vs Hussein Dey 

03/03/19 Hussein Dey vs Gor Mahia

10/03/19 Zamalek vs Gor Mahia

17/03/19 Gor Mahia vs Atletico Petroleos