Oktay: We Need The Green Army To Turn Kasarani Into A Fortress

NAIROBI, Kenya- Sunday is yet another defining moment in the glittering history of Kenya' glamour club Gor Mahia FC and head coach Hassan Oktay wants their devoted fans not to miss it.

The record 17-time domestic league winners need to beat Angolan titans Petro Atletico de Luanda to make history as the first local team ever to grace the quarterfinals of the remodelled CAF Confederations Cup.

With Group D on the competition hanging on a knife edge, with all teams with a chance of finishing among the top two to qualify to the last eight, Oktay willed the Green Army to turn MISC Kasarani Stadium into a fortress when their beloved team lines up to take on the Luanda natives.

Last season, Gor's Confed Cup fate was largely out of their hands when they played their last group encounter away to USMA Alger who proceeded to dump them out with a 1-2 reverse in Algiers.

It left Gor, who spurned a golden chance to secure a quarter final slot when they fell to Rayon Sport of Rwanda by a similar 1-2 defeat at Kasarani on August 19, 2018, third in the final standings on eight points incidentally, also in Group D to finish third behind the latter (nine) and USMA (11) who proceeded to the knockout phase as runner-ups and pool winners.

After the Rayon game, Oktay's predecessor and South African side Black Leopards FC boss, Dylan Kerr, attached some of the blame to the sterile atmosphere at the biggest sporting facility in the country that holds 60,000 supporters for giving the visitors motivation to cause the upset.

To most Green Army believers at the time it appeared, victory against the Rwandese who were forced to accept a 2-2 draw in Kigali was a 'foregone conclusion' and therefore, most kept away in contempt.

This time however, after two successive losses away in Algiers again against NA Hussein Dey (0-1) and Cairo heavyweights Al Ahly (0-4), Gor come to the Petro decider with destiny in their own hands against a team that hit them 1-2 in Luanda.

The arithmetic is simple, win and Gor are through no matter what happens when Zamalek travel to Algiers to meet Hussein Dey. Draw and the calculators are out. Lose and the SportPesa Premier League (SPL) champions and the most storied team in Kenyan football are out.

As it stands, Group D has Zamalek (eight), Hussein Dey (seven), Petro Atletico (seven) and Gor (six) trailing each other in that order ahead of the sixth and final round of the 2018/19 Confed Cup pool games.

Oktay was speaking after his fatigued side battled to a 2-1 comeback victory against Kakamega Homeboyz FC in a rearranged SPL game in Machakos on Wednesday afternoon.

Substitute Francis Mustapha, who scored the equaliser against Rayon in last season's Confed Cup before the visitors scored a winner through Eric Rutanga in the 53rd, drew Gor level after the league titleholders went down to a Luke Namanda second half lobbed strike.

Boniface Omondi’s deflected shot sealed all three points for the 17-time league champions in a two-minute blitz where a 0-1 deficit turned into a 2-1 victory.

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“Today (Wednesday) we were not at our best but I'm very proud of the boys for grinding out the win. The three points are very important but now we have to instantly switch our focus to the huge continental fixture we have on Sunday,” the Turkish tactician told SportPesa News.

Gor must continue their 100 per cent home record in the continental club competition this term if they harbour ambitions to continue their pursuit of a second continental crown in the club's history following that memorable 1987 CAF Winners Cup (Mandela Cup) triumph.

No other Kenyan outfit has ever scaled the heights of bringing home an African title.

A stunning 4-2 home drubbing of Zamalek in the Group D opener, followed up by a 2-0 triumph over Hussein Dey on February 24 precede the crunch tie against Petro and Oktay underlined the importance of fans support.

“We cannot do this without our 12th man! We need the full support of our fans if we are to come away with this important win.

“I'm calling to all of them to show up in large numbers and I can promise them that we will give it all we’ve got and not let them down,” Oktay stated.

“This will be a win for the entire country and not just Gor. It will mean that much more for myself and the players if we have thousands of fans to share the moment with,” he rallied.

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Gor’ top scorer in the competition Jacques Tuyisenge and Kenyan international Francis Kahata, who also scored against the Algerians at Kasarani, headline the list of players who were rested for the midweek league fixture.

Returning ex-Ligue 1 player and record Kenya international goal scorer, Dennis Oliech and Nicholas Kipkirui provides more attacking options for Oktay as Gor will need to go for goals from the onset to keep their hopes of qualification alive.

“I have faith in my team and I believe the boys will put on a great show on Sunday. We cannot use fatigue as an excuse, we are professionals and we are prepared both physically and mentally for the game,” Oktay emphasised. 

With another potential glittering chapter in the legend of this iconic of Kenyan football clubs 90 minutes away from being written, the past has shown when Gor need their Green Army, the troops emerge in force to create an intimidating atmosphere that can rattle even the best of teams.

The last time Gor filled Kasarani to its brim was last May when the club hosted English second tier Championship side, Hull City FC in a multitude that was the biggest ever crowd recorded at the facility since a 1997 FIFA World Cup qualifier between Kenya and Nigeria Super Eagles that ended 1-1.

The Cypriot born Turkish national Oktay, who may not posses the charisma of his predecessor Kerr who was exalted by some faithful as a modern Gor legend having led them to two SPL and the 2018 SportPesa Cup crown, is banking on the steady progress the team has made at home and continental fronts will spark the Green Army to turn Kasarani into a cauldron of hell for Petro.