Gor Mahia coach Dylan Kerr has shifted his attention to the African Champions League kickoff this coming weekend after an impressive 4-0 thumping of Nakumatt in the first week of the Kenyan Premier League on Saturday.
Gor will host Equatorial Guinea’s Leones Vegetarianos in the preliminary round of the continent’s premium interclub championships at Machakos’ Kenyatta Stadium on Saturday.
Kerr is upbeat that his charges will be ready for the visitors despite the fact that it has been “difficult” getting information about them.
“We are going into the game blind. We don’t know about them (Leones Vegetarianis) and it has been difficult getting information about the club.
“But I can’t be worried because we are well prepared and everybody is going to be ready and fit for the game,” the Malta-born Englishman told Soka25east.
Leones are based in Equatorial Guinea’s capital Malabo and are coached by Felipe Esono, who took over from Casto Nopo in May 2017.
Esono successfully led the team to maiden Equatoguinean Premier League title that year.
The team has been out of competitive action since October last year when they lost 1-0 to Equatorial Guinea’s domestic cup winners Deportivo Niefang in the “Super-Copa Nacional.”
But they have since assembled for preseason and have played three warm-ups – winning 4-1 and 2-1 against Niefang and Deportivo Unidad respectively.
They were held 1-1 against Cano Sport in another friendly.
Four of their players namely Santos Tomas Ela (central defender), Jacquin Obama Edu (offensive midfielder), Miguel Angel Ngomo (defender) and Beka Elibiyo Pascual (goalkeeper) represented the country in the just concluded CHAN 2018 in Morocco where they crushed out at the groups phase.
Pascual has since moved to Cano Sport Academy. Manuel Sapunga Mbara is expected to be between the posts for Leones against Gor.
Kerr, who led K’Ogalo to their 16th KPL title last season, commenced their title defense in style – annihilating hapless Nakumatt 4-0 at Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos on Saturday.
Ugandan-born Rwandan striker Meddie grabbed the first hat-trick of the new season with defender Wellington Ochieng’s adding the other.
The 51-year-old former Simba SC coach wants to carry the same form into the Saturday’s crunch tie.
“We will be going for goals and to keep a clean sheet. We will need to take our chances.”
Kerr is new to the African Champions League football but he is confident he has the squad to help him achieve the target of reaching the lucrative groups stage.
“It’s my first season in the competition but since I came here I have watched a number of the champions league matches on television and I can say we are better that what some people may think.”
In readiness for the assignment, Gor have so far played one international friendly against visiting KCCA of Uganda – winning 4-2 and will be hosting Sudan’s Al Hilal in another warm-up tomorrow in Machakos.
Kenyan international George “Blackberry” Odhiambo and his Rwandan counterpart Jacques Tuyisenge missed Saturday’s KPL opener with minor injuries.
Berry however played in a 3-0 win against KCB FC in a friendly on Sunday.
“Tuyisenge was injured in training and I made the decision to rest him as a precaution. George played almost full time against KCB in a friendly yesterday; we hope to have them back in time for the Saturday game,” Kerr added.
Leones are expected in the country on Wednesday.
