Gor Mahia will now play Atletico of Burundi
Burundi Champions Flambeau de l’Est and Coffee of Ethiopia have pulled out of the upcoming CECAFA Club Championships, due to run from August 8 to August 24, in Kigali.
CECAFA Secretary General Nicholas Musonye confirmed that the two teams will not be taking a part in the regional tournament. Coffee, who won the Ethiopian league last season, have been replaced by Adamma FC, while Flambeau de L’est’s place goes to Atletico, who are coached by former Mukura VS head coach Cedric Kaze.
This means Gor Mahia will now play Atletico instead of Flambeau. Atletico are currently sixth in the Burundian league. In 2013 they finished second behind Flambeau. Their last league game was against Vital O. It ended 0-0. Atletico have two players in the Burundi national team, midfielder Pierre Kwizera and goalkeeper Yvan Rugumandiye. The Burundians can be tough and considering that Burundi eliminated Kenya from the 2013 CHAN, Gor Mahia must be wary.
Tanzania’s Yanga have also been barred from participating in this year’s Cecafa Kagame club championship for lining up a weakened side. CECAFA officials have since replaced them with local rivals and current champions Azam.
Meanwhile KCCA coach George Nsimbe continues to express confidence that his side will beat Gor Mahia.
“I am not scared of the Kenyans. We are prepared for the competition,” said Nsimbe
In an earlier interview, Nsimbe had said he was not worried about Gor Mahia
“I believe our group is tough but Gor Mahia is not a problem to me. I have been watching the Kenyan league on TV and I know how to confront them. APR is the problem because you know clubs have evolved their approach to playing,” Nsimbe said.
One KCCA Player Gor Mahia will have to watch is striker Brian Umony.
This is an opportunity for Gor Mahia to redeem Kenya football which has hit upon hard times at national and club level.
Group A:
Rayon Sport (Rwanda), Yanga (Tanzania), Adamma FC (Ethiopia), Atlbara (South Sudan) and KMKM (Zanzibar).
Group B:
APR (Rwanda), KCC (Uganda), Atletico (Burundi) Gor Mahia (Kenya) and Telecom (Djibouti)
Group C:
VitalO (Burundi), El Merreikh (Sudan), Police (Rwanda) Benadir (Somalia).
Method of qualification
(Group A 1,2,3, Group B 1,2,3 Group C 1,2 qualifies to quarter finals
i want to wish kogallo all the best in the CECAFA championships,we are praying for the team !!!!!!!
We pray for the almighty GOD for his protection and also believe will perform well in the tournament in the good na me of the LORD
AMEN
Huyo coach wa KCCA ana kiburi sana sana. Please silence him. Wapewe kichapo cha 2-0 pap.
i dont think any local coach will handle gor for them to win trophies.coaching tactics of local coaches is wanting. let EC invite so many coaches for interview and the one who accept the current situation afflicting gor let him be hired, or EC can approach BW to reccomend a good foreign coach who can work for voluntary,LET EC NOT BE IN HURRY TO HIRE A LOCAL COACH BECAUSE GOR IS IN FINANCIAL CRISIS, AT THE MOMENT THE EC CAN STRIKE A DEAL WITH FKF FOR THEM TO ALLOW BW TO CONTINUE COACHING TILL THE END OF SEASON
I DONT WANT THOSE HEARTH BREAKS like the one we suffered in MERU when the team was left to team manager and we lost painful to TUSKER