Gor hoping for a lift in league opener after losing Super Cup

KCB’s Martin Mbugua feel the weight of Gor Mahia Captain Ernest Wendo during FKF Premier League match at Thika Stadium. Aug 8, 2021. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Former champions Gor Mahia will host last season’s runners up KCB at Kasarani Stadium as the 2021-2022 FKF Premier League season kicks off today.

K’Ogalo, fresh from the midweek FKF Super Cup defeat to Tusker, will be eyeing a fresh start under Englishman Mark Harrison even as the new season gets underway despite financial turmoil within clubs and the league itself which is without a title sponsor.

A total of 18 teams will be in action where at the end of the season three least teams will be dropped.

The top prize will be the title and two spots in continental football (Caf Champions League and Caf Confederation Cup).

Speaking before the league kick off, Harrison insisted that Gor Mahia was not 100 percent ready for the league with Caf Confederation Cup duties awaiting them next month.

After the midweek defeat to champions Tusker the Englishman said his team did not have enouigh time to prepare for the tie but is looking for a positive response today.

“We had 10-days to prepare for the final which was less and again we have even lesser time to be ready for the league. It is hard to work with few days as your pre-season, but this is Gor Mahia and we have to be flexible.

“We picked positives from the defeat, which also came in form of penalties. We played well but not with much aggressiveness,” he said.

Gor will take on KCB today before the league goes for a long break untill October 12 where they will face Kariobangi Sharks.

Three days later, Gor will have a Caf Confederation Cup match against Sudanese outfit Al-Ahly Merowe.

Meanwhile, newbies Talanta and Vihiga Bullets will kick off their topflight campaign against Wazito and Bidco United respectively on the same day that will see Posta Rangers entertain Kariobangi Sharks as Sofapaka face Nairobi City Stars.

Tomorrow, champions Tusker will face off against AFC Leopards, Ulinzi Stars play Nzoia Sugar and Kenya Police debut against Kakamega Homeboyz.

Elsewhere, last season’s Golden Boot winner and Most Valuable Player Erick Kapaito has joined Ethiopian side Abra Minch from Kariobangi Sharks.

The 25-year-old, who managed 24 goals last season to finish as the top scorer in the FKF Premier League, has penned a two-year contract to join the promoted side.

The former FC Talanta forward also won the Golden Boot and the MVP in the 2018 season while playing for Sharks after notching 16 goals.