Report from the Nation
League Champions Tusker play Betway Cup winners Gor Mahia in the 2021-22 Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Super Cup at Thika Sub County Stadium on Wednesday.
The match, which kicks off at 1pm and acts as the curtain raiser for the new season, will be played behind closed doors in conformity to the strict measures put by the government to curb the spread of the deadly coronavirus
The new season kick offs this weekend after a one-month break with Tusker favourites to add to their 12 titles.
K'Ogalo are the record winners of the Super Cup having bagged it six times (2009, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020), since its inception in 2009. On the other hand, Tusker won the trophy in 2012 and 2013.
The last Super Cup was played at the start of the 2019-20 season where Gor beat Bandari 1-0 courtesy of Lawrence Juma's goal.
Last season's clash was not played due to the coronavirus pandemic and there were also no Betway Cup winners as the competition was not played to completion as Covid-19 disrupted the 2019/20 season.
The latest meeting between Gor and Tusker in the Super Cup was in 2017 where K'Ogalo emerged victorious after edging out the brewers 1-0 at Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani.
Tusker beat Gor 2-1 home and away in their league meetings last season.
New Gor Mahia coach Mark Harrisson will be looking to lift his first silverware since replacing Portuguese tactician Carlos Manuel Vaz Pinto late July.
Harrisson, 60, led Gor Mahia in five matches towards the end of last season and won two, drew twice and lost once.
Gor, who have had their Fifa transfer ban lifted after settling debts owed to former coach Steven Polack, Tanzanian Dickson Ambudo and Uganda's Shafiq Batambuze, have not been active in the transfer window.
They have already acquired the services of former Kariobangi Sharks forward Peter Lwasa, former Wazito defender Dennis Ng'ang'a, Congolese striker Yangayay Sando and Malian keeper Adama Traore.
The club has been going through financial difficulties, which has hindered its quest to sign big names, as has been the norm in previous years.
Gor Mahia captain Harun Shakava told Nation Sport that they are out for a bright start after a disappointing campaign last season, which saw them finish eighth.
"We have trained well and want to begin the season well. We shall fight and lift the title which has always been ours before. Tusker is a good team, but we are also physically fit and ready to stop them," Shakava, 27, said on Tuesday.
Fresh from advancing to the first round of the Caf Champions League after a 4-1 aggregate win over Arta Solar 7 of Djibouti at the weekend, Tusker are full of confidence.
"We shall see how it turns out, but this is football and any coach pushes for a win in every game. No injury concerns for us and our focus will be to win and start our title defence with another trophy in our cabinet," said Tusker coach Robert Matano.
Tusker have reinforced their squad by signing 12 players and releasing 11 others.
Defender Charles Momanyi, Joshua Ibrahim, John Njuguna, Rodgers Ouma, custodians Brian Bwire and Patrick Matasi are some of the players who have been roped in by the brewers.
On the other hand, Rodgers Aloro, Mike Madoya and their last season's top scorer, Henry Meja, are among the players who have left the club.