As part of their preparations for the upcoming African Champions League starting in August, record Kenyan champions Gor Mahia have lined up three quality warm ups against TP Mazembe of the DRC, Vipers SC of Uganda and Rwanda’s Rayon Sports.K’Ogalo qualified for the CAF Champions League after winning a record 20th Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKFPL) title in the just ended season.KPL record champions, Gor Mahia, have organized a series of friendly matches against DRC giants TP Mazembe, Rwanda’s Rayon Sports, and UPL side Vipers SC in preparations for the upcoming KPL season and CAF Champions League assignments.#FootballKE @austin_oti— Vincent Ooro (@scentor) July 19, 2023 Mazembe and Vipers will also be featuring in the highest continental club championship next season by virtue of being their national champions.Mazembe are five-time Champions League winners, while Vipers SC qualified for the first time last season to the group stage of the prime tournament. The draw for the preliminary rounds of the competition will be held next month. ##NAJAVA_MECA_7379279##”We have communicated with the management of the three teams and what’s remaining is the confirmation of the dates,” Gor Mahia Secretary General Sam Ocholla told Daily Nation. According to Ocholla, the friendlies will happen in Kenya. “We couldn’t travel outside the country for preseason, but we’re going to intensify preparations ahead of next season with a number of local friendlies.”Gor Mahia are expected to return from a long break on Saturday to begin preseason.Gor Mahia midfielder confirms departureJohnathan McKinstry’s side qualified for the quarterfinals of the 2018 CAF Confederation Cup, having initially started their campaign in the Champions League. However, CAF have since twisted the rules and scrapped Confederation Cup playoffs, which handed teams dropping from the Champions League a lifeline. Gor Mahia will stage their CAF Champions League matches in Tanzania. Azam FC’s Chamazi Complex and the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium are the two facilities that they intend to use.”We intend to use the Azam Stadium for our preliminary matches and then proceed to Benjamin Mkapa… pic.twitter.com/OGNIqr4bjm— Ole Teya (@TeyaKevin) July 17, 2023 In the new format, failing to make the group stage of the Champions League after the second round means your journey is over until next season.Gor Mahia has never qualified for the lucrative group stage of the African Champions League.
