Juogi is supposed to exclusively spur record Kenyan champions Gor Mahia into adding more feathers on their glittering crown. But wily opponents for this weekend’s epic clash, Kakamega Homeboyz, are also drawing on the magical powers of Juogi to drown the supposed sole beneficiaries when they do clash at Bukhungu Stadium on Saturday evening.This will be a top-of-the-table clash as both teams are on 18 points alongside KCB, with the winner in the match ascending to the top with a game in hand.Given the magnitude of the match, Homeboyz coach Bernard Mwalala notes that it is exactly what his side needs after recording back-to-back draws against Mathare United at home and recently against Bidco United in Thika the past weekend.The former Bandari coach opined that Gor Mahia’s trip to the Western part of the country is motivation enough to his players, adding that it makes light his work of getting the players in the mood for the match.”It will be a big game and I love such games because they test the character of the players one has. When Gor Mahia comes to Western it is already enough motivation to the players. As a coach I will have an easy task gearing towards the game because the match alone gives the players the urge to play,” Mwalala said.Mwalala went ahead to note that players always have a tendency of looking at opponents and seizing them up before matches, and go into matches thinking that they have already won only for the opponent to put up a totally different performance than expected.”You have to prepare these players mentally ahead of the game. They will look at a certain opponent and think that they have already won the game on their minds even before they play. So as a coach I have to keep on reminding them that they have to win the game in 90 minutes first,” he added.Gor Mahia has been the dominant side in this encounter and even managed to do a double over Homeboyz last season, winning 2-1 in the first leg and emerging triumphant in the second leg by a solitary goal.
