Gor Mahia vs Al Khartoum preview
Gor Mahia will be on a high after two convincing wins in the 2015 CECAFA club cup aka Kagame cup. It is a stark contrast to what pertained in the 2014 edition where Gor Mahia put on a listless performance even against minnows like Djibouti Telecom.
This is the confident backdrop against which Gor Mahia will take on Al Khartoum. The Sudanese side are also full of confidence, having beaten Djibouti Telecom 5-0 and KMKM 2-1.
In the Al Khartoum line-up will be former Gor Mahia midfield ace Anthony Akumu. It was he who scored the winning goal when his side beat KMKM.
Though he (Akumu) says he supported the club as a youngster and still has friends at the club, Akumu says he will be a professional first.
“I still have many friends in the club but I don’t think that will complicate things for me. Winning the title is our ambition in this tournament and I know that I have a great responsibility to make that happen. The coach has spoken to us about the match and I am planning to give my best performance to ensure that we record a winning result,” he said to the Nation.
Akumu also thinks that a good performance at the Kagame cup will open up doors to Europe.
“My ambition is to play in Europe but in the mean time I want to focus on giving my best performances for Khartoum. We have a job to do here and nothing else will be on my mind on Friday other that victory,” he continued.
So Gor Mahia will be facing a familiar but determined foe. But truth be told, unlike last season, this year Gor Mahia has enough petrol in the tank to neutralize Akumu. For one thing, Collins Okoth is preferred ahead of Akumu at national team level. And even if Okoth is still stifled by his thigh injury, there is the ebullient Khalid Aucho whose performances have been impressive of late along with Walusimbi, Abondo and Wafula plus Nizigiziyimana and Sibomana whose playmaking and passing skills are as good or better than any midfieder at this tournament.
The Sudanese side have in John Kwesi Appiah, a good coach with vast experience. He guided Ghana to qualification of the 2014 world cup, a feat which included beating the mighty Egypt 6-1. Ghana played extremely well at the world cup including a 2-2 draw with eventual winners Germany.
However in coach Frank Nuttall, Gor Mahia have an imaginative coach who has proven that he can match wits with any coach. He comprehensively the Young Africans coach Hans Van De Pluijm despite the latter having coached in the Dutch first division.
Al Khartoum who finished 4th in the 2014 Sudanese league, have a squad that is made primarily of Sudanese players with the exception of Akumu, Léonard Njousso (Cameroun) and John Arthur (Ghana). Of the Sudanese players, none of them feature in the current national team which is dominated by players from their more illustrious rivals, Al Merreikh and Al Hilal.
Salah Bilal is the one player Gor Mahia will need to watch closely. He has scored three goals so far in the tournament.
well well well,
Akumu, Gor is Gor. All the best. I bet a draw is not bad.
Tusker coach Francis Kimanzi has criticized the influx of foreign players into the Kenyan Premier League.
The former Harambee Stars coach says, this situation is already affecting football standards in the country and must be dealt with quickly. “It is good that Gor Mahia are doing well in the inter-club championships but the unfortunate thing is that when you look at the squad, their key players are all foreigners.
“This is an unfortunate situation and unless addressed urgently, it will affect our progress as a country,” Kimanzi told Goal on Thursday.
Kimanzi insists that the current number of five foreign players should be cut down to three with only two foreign players allowed to play at any one time. “When you allow five foreign players on the pitch at any one time, it is almost half of those who are supposed to be playing and it denies our locals an opportunity to play and develop.
“Furthermore, in my own estimation about 70 percent of foreign players in Kenya shouldn’t be playing in the Kenyan league because they have nothing outstanding in them.”
If the 70% are not worth playingthen why are they playing. what Kimanzi is doing is what countries which closed themselves are suffering from. It’s like saying that the Kenya CEOs or Wanyama/Oliech/Marga to come back home. The Nigeria/Cote D’Voire national teams are all composed of players doing their work overseas. Should they go back to their countries of origin? And how comes Kimanzi is training us on the Dutch tactics and not local
On the contrary foreign players assist in improving standards on local football.
Let Kamanzi work hard with Tusker FC. to be Champiom in Kenya so that next year he can fill all the Local Players he has in his Squade to do better than Gor which has Foreigners. Kimanzi just know that he can’t beat Gor that’s why is coming up with such suggestions. K’Ogalo will beat you again whether you like it or not Mr. KIMANZI!!
For me, this might just be the most difficult game for gor otherwise i wish them victory
Kimanzi, how many foreign players do tursker have?. You went to an extend of firing
Boniface olouch and signing a foreigner in his place. THE same Gormahia took him.So between you and gormahia who has the local platers at Heart. Mind your own club.
its unfortunate what kimazi expected did not happen at cecafa but he should be patient maybe kogalo will lose to al khartoum…..telme why do some people hate to see kogalo succeed so much not forgetting that its the team with the biggest history?
Better that ingwe and tusker combined.
IF KOGALO LOOSES TOMMORO THE ISSUE OF FOREIGN PLAYERS WILL DIE OUT.
what if they win as i expect?
WATCH THIS SPACE I WILL BE BACK TO COMMENT and to hell with that loser TO HELL WITH KIMANZI!
Nuttal should NOT bench 1st 11 given the fact that they are facing a tough team. In football you cannot judge!! surely why to bench someone like Kagere?
Tusker FC used to sack coaches. What happened to that.
Kimanzi is being shielded by EABL chairman mr Musyoki.Its pure tribalism at play,had it been another coach,he would have been shown the door long time ago,read Matano,Sammy Omollo Pamzo.
Friends I think we are veering off the topic easily. The topic at hand is ‘Gor Mahia vs Al Khartoum preview’.
Anyway let us remain focused, do our best and I know we shall continue with our good run.
We have enough players so let Walusimbi take some rest until he achieves full fitnes; no need to panic. After all either Agwanda, Gattusso or Wafula can start. All the best. With Gattuso and Aucho in mid-field, I think we are Ok.
These Sudanese players are very tall and fast. That should qualify Agwanda to earn starting role to match the pace. I know our able coach Mr. Frank Nuttal is very good and has already formed a strong squad to out-match our opponents so Am not worried.
Kimanzi’s comments on the no. of foreign based players is just an opinion but does not hold water.
I red on facebook, Gor Mahia fc, that Gattuzo is not going to play, why and yet it has been said that he has fully recovered? i wonder but let the coach do his job.
Khalid Aucho is the midfield engine. His work rate is higher than that of Baba Kizito. If we can maintain this team then next year we might win CAF cup
Looks like we were too casual for today’s game. Our strikers were not fed at all. I also hope Aucho’s injury is not serious. My worry is that the injuries can later on come to affect us. Especially locally
@Dan our defence was also horrible;I feared the runs by Khartoum.Our strategy of crosses is also being read out.can Agwanda play in midfield?.Walusimbi was missed on the left