The shame of exiting the 2024 CECAFA Kagame Cup without winning a single match will certainly prompt Gor Mahia to bring their best game in the final Group B match against Sudanese giants Al Hilal Omdurman on Tuesday.Gor faces an uphill task in defeating Hilal when the two sides lock horns at the Azam Sports Complex, hoping to save themselves from the ridicule that comes with an early exit.The Kenyan champions exited the Cup on Monday after APR and SC Villa in Group C drew. The result saw the Rwandese side progress to the semis as group winners, while Villa and Red Arrows battle it out for the spot of best-placed second team across the groups. Villa has five points, while Red Arrows have three. If Red Arrows fail to beat Telkom Djibouti on Tuesday, then Villa will proceed to the semis. However, if they beat the Djiboutian side, then the Ugandan champions will be heading to Kampala.What potentially makes it a tough encounter for the Kenyan champions is the ease with which Hilal dispatched the rest of teams in the group.##NAJAVA_MECA_8214109##Under the tutelage of the revered Congolese coach Florent Ibenge, Hilal kicked off their quest for regional glory with a 2-0 win over Djibouti’s Telecom FC.They made their intentions known after wiping the floor with Red Arrows in the subsequent game, hitting the Zambian champions 5-0.Despite the threat posed by Hilal, Gor Mahia head coach Leonardo Neiva holds on to hope that his charges will pull off a miracle and get a fair result.”I am satisfied with how we did our last final training session. I wanted to assess a lot of things including fitness and attitude. It will be a tough game considering that Hilal is a top game. I am pleased with that as we should play against such opponents to get ourselves ready for big matches including the Champions League,” said Neiva, who succeeded Johnathan McKinstry at the start of the month. Gor Mahia set to open Coal City Cup campaign against seven-time Brazilian championsA wholehearted dogfight by players when in possession and out of it is one that will please the former Vipers gaffer. ” I want them(players) to be aggressive in and out possession. We can win, draw or lose but the focus is the bigger assignment ahead of us,” said the Brazilian. While Hilal have been flawless in the competition, K’Ogalo have struggled as the they lost 1-0 to Red Arrows in the opening game.There was optimism in the record Kenyan champions whipping Telecom in the second game but were held to a 1-1 draw.Gor Mahia’s new signing among top scorers’ of CECAFA Kagame CupThese results do not entirely reflect the performance of the team at least in the eyes of Ibenge, who had the benefit of watching the team against Red Arrows. “Their match against Red Arrows was an amazing game. They played good football and were good in possessing the ball. We have to take the game seriously, ” said the former RS Berkane coach. The match will kick off at 4pm.
