Four regional football clubs from the regional body of the Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations CECAFA, have a busy schedule in the coming months after they reached the group stages of the 15 Edition of the CAF Confederation Cup.
The four are Al-Hilal of Sudan, Young Africans of Tanzania, Gor Mahia representing Kenya and Rayon Sports from Rwanda.
Of the four, the Kigali based Club Rayon Sports F.C. has become the first ever Rwandan Club to participate in the group stages of the continental tournament.
Gor Mahia has also made a mark in the continental football for the first time since 1987 after they won the African Cup against Esperence de Tunis.
Rayon Sport win at home against Mozambique’s Clube de Desportos da Costa do Sol before going down to a 2-0 defeat could not cancel the 3-0 win in Kigali.
Even though the team lost in the return match, coach Ivan Minneart is a happy man with the final results.
“I am very happy with the boys,” he has been quoted.
Since 2006 when Rayon Sport first participated in this tournament, it had never gone beyond the first round.
That was the case in 2008 but in 2017, there was a slight improvement when team ended at the second round.
Famously known by its nickname Gikundiro, it now embarks on a more serious campaign with an aim of going past the group stages of this prestigious tournament that comes with a lot of goodies.
Kenya representatives Gor Mahia, are back after almost waiting to reach at this stage for almost 30 years now. The journey has been tough but dedication, disciplined and sacrifice has helped Ko’galo as they are famously known at home.
Gor Mahia first participated in the tournament in 2009 but was eliminated in the preliminary round. That was repeated in 2012 but a slight improvement was recorded in 2013 but unfortunately eliminated in the first round.
Before heading to South Africa to face SuperSport United, the team faced various challenges including insufficient funds to purchase air tickets before the Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko came in and supported the team.
Three of it’s players including Rwanda International and prolific striker Jacques Tuyisenge missed the match after he failed to get a visa among other things that seemed to have affected his fellow players psychologically.
This results makes Gor Mahia the most successful clubs in Kenya against any other club like AFC Leopards that has a large following.
It is common knowledge that, the success of Gor Mahia and Rayon Sport has come first after their crucial win at home and loosing away the teams were still safe and proceeded to the next level.
This teaches us a lesson that, East Africa Clubs and National teams have to make sure that, they win at home and have an easy outing away as we saw from the two clubs.
The East and Central Africa region has always had great football talent which if natured properly, nothing will be impossible in the football business.
Good results are brought first by good coaching but also dedicated and disciplined players in and outside the pitch.
Although, the players have a huge responsibility, the club officials have a greater role in making sure that the players are well paid in good time and this will boost in their confidence levels during play.
Even as these clubs embark on serous work ahead, players must believe that its is possible to go beyond group stages. Therefore, they need to play their hearts out and makes sure that they win their home matches.
