K’Ogalo will host the reigning African champions in the first leg of the second preliminary round, with both teams vying for a spot in the group stage of the lucrative inter-club competition. The two teams will meet again in the return leg at Cairo International Stadium on Saturday, September 21st.
While Gor Mahia defeated El Merreikh of South Sudan 5-2 on aggregate in the first round of the competition to qualify for the second round, Al Ahly received a bye to the round. Gor Mahia had lost the first leg 1-0 away in Juba before they turned on the screw in the return leg to hammer the South Sudanese outfit 5-1.
It will be 11 vs 11 and Gor Mahia are ready
Speaking ahead of the fixture, the Brazilian tactician acknowledged Al Ahly’s reputation as a record CAF Champions League winner but remained adamant the record Kenyan champions are in good shape and psyched up to take on the best team in the continent.
“We have done our best in training, we have been undergoing tactical, physical and technical preparations to try to do our best against the African champions and I strongly believe we are now ready to battle the best team in the continent and get a positive result to take to Cairo for the return leg,” Martns Neiva told Flashscore.
Asked whether Al Ahly are the favourites heading into the first leg contest, Martins Neiva said: “It is the case because everyone knows that Al Ahly is the big favourites, not only against Gor Mahia, but big favourites to retain the Champions League trophy this season because of the rich history they have set and records of the club, but we don’t want to look at that for now because football dynamics have changed in recent years and anything can happen in football.”
The Brazilian added: “Al Ahly is the top club in Africa according to CAF rankings, but football is 11 (eleven) versus 11 (eleven), and we have to push ourselves to maintain a high level of play. We must aim to win at home and gain an advantage for the away leg.”
Gor Mahia will need to be at their best to get a positive result against the star-studded Egyptian giants considering most Kenyan clubs have had a bad history when playing against North African teams during the inter-club competition in recent years.
In 2011, Sofapaka managed to shatter the jinx that had troubled Kenyan football for decades when they became the first club to eliminate an Egyptian side from continental competition, defeating Ismalia of Egypt 4-2 on aggregate in the Confederation Cup. Sofapaka had lost the first leg 2-0 in Cairo but they returned home to win 4-0.
Al Ahly is renowned for its consistent success at both domestic and continental levels, regularly contending in CAF tournaments. They have a record of 44 Egyptian Premier League titles, 39 Egypt Cup titles and 14 Egyptian Super Cups.
Apart from the aforementioned success on home soil, Al Ahly enjoy an unrivaled success in the international competitions as they have won a record 12 CAF Champions League titles, one CAF Confederation Cup, a record of eight CAF Super Cups, a record of four African Cup Winners' Cups, one Afro-Asian Club Championship, one Arab Club Champions Cup, one Arab Cup Winners' Cup, a record of two Arab Super Cups, and has won four bronze medals in the FIFA Club World Cup.
“We need a lot of commitment from all of us, we know it will not be an easy task but again it can be easy if we do what is right, we must have a determined team that will go flat out to seek its best performance against the African champions, the players must turn up and play competitively and try to surprise them,” added Martins Neiva.
“We must motivate the players to help get the best out of the team, and the biggest motivation is to be able to play and win against the best team in Africa.”
Martins Nieva concluded: “It’s a massive match, and we urge the fans to come out and be that extra man for us. I hope to see a full stadium.”
The fixture will kick off at 13:00hrs (local time). Tickets for the match are priced at Ksh200 for regular and Ksh500 for VIP. Sales will begin on matchday from 7am at three designated locations: Kenya Cinema, Riadha House (opposite Kuche Kuche), and the Nyayo Stadium Police post. The game will be broadcast live on Azam Sports 2HD.
Injury-plagued Police prepared for a huge Zamalek task
Meanwhile, Kenya’s representatives in the Confederation Cup, Kenya Police will head into their first leg second round fixture against Zamalek plagued with injuries to their key players.
Six players - striker Clinton Kinanga, goalkeeper John Njau, left-back Geoffrey Onyango (who signed from Kariobangi Sharks), and midfielders Erick Zakayo, Duncan Otieno and David Owino – have all been ruled out of the fixture at Nyayo Stadium on Saturday, September 14th owing to injuries.
On top of these, Police will miss the services of midfielder Kenneth Muguna, who is serving a suspension from Confederation of African Football (CAF). Police, who are making their appearance in the inter-club competition after winning the domestic FKF Cup, qualified for the second round after beating Ethiopian Coffee 1-0 on aggregate.
The law enforcers drew 0-0 in the first leg played at Nyayo Stadium before they stunned the Ethiopian side 1-0 in the return leg in Addis Ababa.
Against Zamalek, Police will come up against the defending champions. The Egyptian outfit lifted the Confederation Cup last season when they defeated Moroccan side RS Berkane on the away goals rule after a 2-2 aggregate draw. The White Knights had lost the first leg 2-1 in Morocco, but recovered to win the return leg 1-0 in Cairo.
The victory marked Zamalek’s second Confederation Cup title, their previous win also against RS Berkane in 2019. Despite the injuries, Police coach Anthony Kimani remained confident the law enforcers will get a good outcome on home soil.
“The good thing is we have been together for the last two weeks, it has been weeks of intensive training, and I believe we are ready for the big task ahead of us against Zamalek,” Kimani told Flashscore. “Honestly, speaking we are set for the assignment, of course, on paper Zamalek, one of the biggest teams on the continent, look the favourites on paper, but we are ready to turn the tables, we know our strength and we anticipate a good outcome.”
Kimani added: “We have six players who will miss the game, but we are optimistic about giving a good performance since we have good depth in our squad. The players, who will be given an opportunity on Saturday, are equal to the task and understand our ambitions in this tournament.”
Zamalek is the most successful football club of the 20th century in Africa (gaining nine titles versus seven for their closest rival) and they have won five Champions League titles, two Confederation Cup titles, four CAF Super Cup titles and one African Cup Winners' Cup title.
The White Knights became the first Egyptian team ever to win the CAF Super Cup in 1994 and they are considered the Club of the Afro-Asian Century, as they were the first Egyptian team to participate in and win the Afro-Asian Cup in 1987; and holds the record for most participations (1987, 1994, and 1997) and most titles after winning it a second time in 1997.
Zamalek is also the first Egyptian team to ever qualify for the FIFA Club World Cup when they qualified in 2000 to the 2001 championship, despite the cancellation of the championship later on.
