Caf Champions League: FKF aid Gor Mahia with Sh3m as they ready for APR

The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has once again come to the rescue of Gor Mahia after they gave them Sh3million to help prepare the team for their Caf Champions League match.

The Kenyans champions are set to host APR of Rwanda in the return leg clash set for Nyayo Stadium with K’Ogalo seeking to reverse the 2-1 defeat suffered in the first leg battle staged at Nyamirambo Stadium in Kigali last weekend.

Olivier Niyonzima had given the hosts an early lead in the ninth minute before Kenneth Muguna cancelled it out with an accurate taken free-kick in the 28th minute, only for defender Andrew Juma to score in his own net.

A source within FKF has confirmed to Goal the federation will give the club Sh3million to prepare for the return leg.

“Gor Mahia appealed for help from FKF and we have agreed to assist them with Sh3million to aid their preparations for Caf Champions League match against APR on Saturday,” the source, who did not want to be named, told Goal.

Asked whether they have given out the cash yet, the source said: “We will give them, we are working on that, and they will have the money, maybe even tomorrow [Wednesday].”

It is the second time the FKF is bailing out Gor Mahia, as before they departed for Kigali they kitted the team with Harambee Stars tracksuits.

Despite losing 2-1, Gor Mahia stand-in coach Sammy Omollo is confident they will reverse the result and qualify to the next stage of the competition come Saturday.

“Despite the loss, the boys played well in that game, and they stuck to our game plan," Omollo told Goal on Monday. “A 2-1 [loss] is not a bad result for us; the important thing is that we scored the important away goal.

“The one goal we scored will be very crucial for us in the return leg because now we just need one goal, or even two if possible, to advance.”

On his part, APR coach Adil Errade Mohamed has cautioned his players not to underrate Gor Mahia as they did in the first leg contest.

“I am told that local media reported extensively about the financial difficulties that our opponents are going through and how it had affected their morale because some players had threatened not to play,” Mohamed is quoted by New Times.

“This might have made our players become a little bit complacent but I don’t want to see that attitude in the return leg, we must be very cautious against them and make sure we don’t crack.”

Gor Mahia have been in the competition in the last four seasons but have always found it hard to advance further and their last attempt, in 2019, was ended by Algeria’s USM Alger.

The Algerian outfit picked up two victories against K’Ogalo and the two defeats came at a time Gor Mahia were strained financially as they operated without a sponsor.