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Ochieng and Lavatsa: Gor Mahia release two players ahead of new season
The Kenyan champions have released two more players as they prepare to play football again
Gor Mahia have released two players - defender Wellington Ochieng and striker Edwin Lavatsa - ahead of the forthcoming Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League.
Goal can exclusively reveal the duo has been allowed to leave the champions. A source, who did not want to be named, has confirmed to Goal the two players have already been asked to go, and this is after the team managed to sign 13 players in the ongoing transfer window.
“I can confirm to you that Wellington [Ochieng] and Edwin [Lavatsa] will not be part of the team in the coming season,” the source told Goal on Saturday. “They have been asked to leave since the club signed players in their positions.”
While Lavatsa was making a return to Gor Mahia after stints at Mathare United and Kakamega Homeboyz, Ochieng was not involved last season as he was out injured.
The right-back sustained a knee injury last year while playing against Motema Pembe of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in a Caf Confederation Cup match away in Kinshasa.
In a recent interview with Goal before leaving the club, former coach Steven Polack had described Ochieng and another player Philemon Otieno as new signings for the club.
“I am really very happy to see the two boys [Otieno and Ochieng] back, they have really worked hard to return from the setbacks they suffered in the early stages of last season but they have fully recovered now,” Polack told Goal.
“All the two players are fit now, for Otieno he played a game for us before the coronavirus pandemic, a friendly where we gave him 45 minutes and he came out unscathed, you could see how he battled well to impress the bench in the build-up, he is very okay now.
“Let us see when we start training for the new season, and we check them again, the two will be our first signings, they will come back stronger and will fight to play for us, I think they will be our first signings as they are coming back after a very long layoff, we must be happy to be covered in their positions.”
Gor Mahia were crowned the league champions for the fourth season in a row after Football Kenya Federation (FKF) moved to end the season owing to the Covid-19, and they will represent the country in the Caf Champions League.
