This Is How Gor Historic Flight To London Went Down
3rd November 2018
SportPesa Premier League winners' players deep in thought during eight-hour journey from Nairobi to London as they reflected on the great opportunity ahead of them
- On board this KQ101 that departed Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Friday morning, were players and officials of SportPesa Premier League (SPL) champions, Gor Mahia FC
- Even the experienced among them including Humphrey Mieno and Wellington Ochieng who travelled to the UK last year as part of the SportPesa All Stars select side were deep in thought
- For the next few days, Gor will call the football mad city of Liverpool home, a city with such a rich history in the game and they would add to its folklore by becoming the first East African side to play there
LONDON, United Kingdom- All of a sudden, all transmissions came to a halt as the captain in charge of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner long-haul twin-engine airliner took over the public address system to tell his passengers on board that in 15 minutes, they would be descending into London Heathrow, the airport hub of the United Kingdom.
The past eight hours had been rather quiet with not much being discussed other than the occasional cry from a baby or the impromptu check from the cabin crew to ask if one needed a drink.
On board this KQ101 that departed Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Friday morning, were players and officials of SportPesa Premier League (SPL) champions, Gor Mahia FC.
Although the team has extensively used air travel before to hop from one part of East African to another for games, for most in the Dreamliner, this was a whole new experience as they travelled to make history in the UK.
On Tuesday, they will become the first team from the region to face an English Premier League side, Everton FC at Goodison Park.
From the onset, they were all the centre of attraction with their distinct blue branded blazers and khaki pants, making heads turn all around the JKIA prior to take off.
On Friday, 24 of the 26 players selected for the assignment travelled, with striker Jacques Tuyisenge and new signing Shafiq Batambuze leaving for UK on Saturday.
Take off was delayed by 15 minutes due to the entire flight crew humbly requesting a photo-shoot session on the plane steps with K’Ogalo squad, they too keen to freeze the landmark moment for posterity besides marketing the national carrier that is seeking to reboot its presence as a global airliner.
Not only are Gor seeking a return leg victory over the nine-time English league champions but for most, the lights of Goodison provide a dream shop window to expose their talent and hopefully, land a lucrative professional deal.
“It’s my first time on a plane this big. I’m so excited for the trip ahead, it’s going to be great,” Raphael Asudi, who just came off a brilliant first season with the record domestic league champions told SportPesa News.
Buzzing Lokuwam
“I’m very humbled by this opportunity to travel to the UK and feature in this historic match. I have never been on a trip this long before and I can’t wait to enjoy the full experience,” the fourth year Economics and Finance under graduate at Kenyatta University Eliud Lokuwam who was buzzing added.
Led by the Club Chairman Ambrose Rachier, Assistant Coach Zedekiah Otieno and Team Manager Jolawi Obondo, the Gor players dared to dream the momentous trip would bring plenty of good fortune to their careers.
Perhaps reflecting on what lay ahead of them, most chose the long-haul flight as an opportunity to reflect on what was ahead of them, over 35,000 feet above the ground.
Even the experienced among them including Humphrey Mieno and Wesley Onguso who travelled to the UK last year as part of the SportPesa All Stars select side were deep in thought.
For almost the entire eight-hour flight, nothing much was heard except from the chewing every time food was served and the quiet drone of the twin engines of the advanced piece of aviation machinery.
Once the captain announced the plane was on its final approach to Heathrow, faces began to peep outside the windows to get a glimpse of this new country that they were about to set foot into and for the first time animated conversation broke out all around.
Beautiful stadiums
“Look at how beautiful it is, we can see the stadiums that most only see on TV. This country is beautiful. Is that the Thames River?” captain Harun Shakava asked his teammates.
No sooner had the plane touched the ground than Burundi assistant captain Karim Nzigiyimana said: “We know what has brought us here and we have to make the most of it.”
After an hour or so clearing through immigration, the gates of the United Kingdom were opened to the most successful Kenyan club and the train ride they were set to embark on would take them to the city that fate led them to.
For the next few days, Gor will call the football mad city of Liverpool home, a city with such a rich history in the game and they would add to its folklore by becoming the first East African side to play there.
After the 2-1 loss they suffered on Wayne Rooney’s return to the Toffees last year at the National Stadium in Dar-es-Salaam, Gor have an opportunity to hit back at the team that has enjoyed a fine start to the 2018/19 EPL season under new manager, Marco Silva.
Finally, the opening leg of the unbelievable experience that started out as an announcement in August when the game was truly in motion and for the next few days, Gor will enjoy an international spotlight never shone on the most decorated football outfit in the land.
On Saturday, they will be part of the proceedings when their hosts Everton seek to rebound from their 1-2 loss to Manchester United FC when they host Brighton and Hove Albion FC at Goodison in the EPL.
Keep it SportPesa News to find out how that exciting part of their trip dubbed ‘Gor in Everton’ will go.
-Louis Kalinga is reporting for SportPesa News from Liverpool, England