Kenya's Gor seek redemption in Napsa Stars Confederations Cup clash
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E-mail Xinhua, February 10, 2021
NAIROBI, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan premier league champions Gor Mahia FC are on the hunt for redemption after an embarrassing 8-1 mauling on aggregate by Algerian side CR Belouizdad on their last continental outing in the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League.
The heavy two-legged defeat in the first round of the competition in January cost them a ticket to the lucrative group stages of the Champions League, but Gor landed a continental football lifeline after being relegated to the playoffs of the second tier Confederations Cup.
New Brazilian head coach Carlos Manuel Vaz Pinto is confident the team will qualify for the group stages of the Confed Cup and repeat the deep run from two seasons ago where the club sailed to the quarterfinals in the 2018-19 campaign.
"This is our goal to reach the group stages. It is important to not only Gor Mahia but to Kenya and of course, all the players dream of playing at this stage. It gives them a different image outside the country but the most important for Gor is to get better CAF rankings," Pinto said.
The Zambian side is scheduled to arrive in Nairobi on Wednesday with the CAF appointing Ugandan William Oloya as the center referee for the first leg on Sunday.
Oloya will be assisted by his compatriots Lee Okello (first assistant referee), Isa Masembe (second assistant referee), and Chelanget Ali Sabila (fourth official).
Alexis Redamptus Nshimiyimana from Rwanda will serve as the Match Commissioner while Wycliffe Makanga, who doubles up as the Kenya national football team Harambee Stars' team doctor, will serve as the COVID-19 officer.
Kenyan international goalkeeper Shaban Odhoji and defender David Owino are in line to face their former side with the Lusaka-based visitors missing key players Bornwell Mwape and Emmanuel Mayuka in the squad that will feature in Nairobi.
"Gor have been struggling in their last few games, but we should not rely on that when playing against them," Odhoji warned his teammates.
Napsa advanced to the playoffs after seeing off UD Songo of Mozambique. Enditem
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