Gor Captain Shakava: We Will Not Park The Bus In Nigeria
19th December 2018
SPL champions' captain underlines their intention to make history on Saturday by qualifying for the group stages of the CAF Champions League in their return leg against Lobi Stars as team departs for Abuja on Wednesday
- The record 17-time titleholders will become the first Kenyan outfit to qualify for the group stages of the CAF Champions League if they hold on to or extend their 3-1 advantage from the opening leg of their first round clash in Nairobi last weekend
- A contingent of 18 players, five technical bench members and three officials made the trip with assistant head coach, Zedekiah ‘Zico’ Otieno who was suspended from the first leg played at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, returning to the side
NAIROBI, Kenya- SportPesa Premier League champions, Gor Mahia FC departed for Nigeria on Wednesday morning optimistic of making history when they take on Lobi Stars FC in Enugu on Saturday.
The record 17-time titleholders will become the first Kenyan outfit to qualify for the group stages of the CAF Champions League if they hold on to or extend their 3-1 advantage from the opening leg of their first round clash in Nairobi last weekend.
Gor under the tutelage of Cypriot Hassan Oktay who has won his first two games in charge, left the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport at 9am local time (+3GMT) and are scheduled to land in the Nigerian administrative capital of Abuja before taking a domestic flight to Enugu.
A contingent of 18 players, five technical bench members and three officials made the trip with assistant head coach, Zedekiah ‘Zico’ Otieno who was suspended from the first leg played at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, returning to the side.
Speaking to SportPesa News ahead of their outward journey to the West African nation, Gor captain, Harun Shakava, stated the team would not seat on their lead in the hope of seeing the game out in what is commonly referred to as ‘park the bus’.
“We had the chance to score four of five goals in the first leg but we were unlucky not to add to the goals we scored. We have now seen their style of play and we believe that we can get an away goal that will guarantee our safety in the competition.
“We are going into the second leg knowing what we need to do and with the plan we have set, we believe we can overcome Lobi,” the captain emphasised.
K'Ogalo will be hoping to finish the job in the return leg in Nigeria next Sunday to bag the KSh55m on offer for advancing to the group stages of the elite continental club showpiece where they need to avoid at least a 2-0 defeat.
The loser of the tie on aggregate will drop to the two-legged CAF Confederations Cup play-off to enter the group stages of the second tier competition.
A Samuel Onyango brace added to the opener from Rwanda international, Jacques Tuyisenge in the first half last Sunday to put Gor in a commanding position ahead of their trip to Nigeria.
GOR TRAVELLING PARTY
Players: Boniface Oluoch, Boniface Omondi, Francis Kahata, Francis Mustafa, Harun Shakava, Joash Onyango, Shafik Batambuze, Philemon Otieno, Fredrick Odhiambo, Kenneth Muguna, Erisa Ssekisambu, George Odhiambo, Cercidy Okeyo, Pascal Ogweno, Humphrey Mieno, Samuel Onyango, Jacques Tuyisenge, Wellington Ochieng Technical staff: Hassan Oktay – Coach, Zedekiah ‘Zico’ Otieno – Ass. Coach, Willis Ochieng – Goalkeeper Coach, Jolawi Obondo – Team Manager, Frederick Otieno – Team Doctor
Officials: Gerphas Okuku, Lordvick Aduda – CEO, Kelvin Elegwa – Federation representative