Gor Mahia’s path to the Kagame Cup semi-final is already closed, but they will be hoping to exit the competition with pride when they face the formidable Al Hilal of Sudan.
Gor Mahia will be playing for nothing but pride when they meet Sudan’s Al Hilal in their final group game at the CECAFA Kagame Cup in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on Tuesday.
K’Ogalo are virtually out of the running for a place in the semi-final after faltering against opponents they were expected to beat in their first two matches.
Gor Mahia has one point from two games, having started with a 1-0 loss to Zambia’s Red Arrows before drawing 1-1 with Djibouti Telecom. This means they can only accumulate a maximum of four points if they manage to secure a victory against Group C leaders Al Hilal, who have maximum points.
However, this is no easy task, as Al Hilal has scored seven goals in two matches, winning both without conceding. They defeated Djibouti Telecom 2-0 before thrashing Red Arrows 5-0 over the weekend.
Despite his team’s impressive form, Al Hilal coach Florent Ibenge is treating Gor Mahia with respect. “It will be difficult. Just because we scored five today doesn’t mean it will be easy against Gor Mahia. I saw this team; they keep the ball, play football, and it will be tough. We have to take it seriously,” Ibenge said after watching his side destroy Red Arrows.
Gor Mahia coach Martin Neiva has emphasized that the tournament is an opportunity to implement his style on the squad, but K’Ogalo fans will be hoping to bow out with pride.
In the tournament, the three group winners qualify directly for the semi-final, while the best second-placed team from any group takes the last slot in the knockout stage. Heading into the final round, Al Hilal, their Sudanese counterparts Hay Al Wad, and Rwanda’s APR have already qualified as group winners, while Uganda’s SC Villa leads the list of second-best teams with five points from three group matches.
This scenario means that Gor Mahia does not stand a chance of advancing even if they win, with Group C rivals Red Arrows having a great opportunity to dislodge SC Villa. The Zambian side has three points from their win over the Kenyan champions, and if they secure maximum points against Djibouti Telecom, they will move to six and clinch the final semi-final slot.
