CAF Champions League: Will mighty K'Ogalo stop Al Ahly?

Gor Mahia utility player Rooney Onyango (left) and Lam Gony of El Merreikh during their CAF Champions League match at Nyayo National Stadium on August 25. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

All roads lead to the historic Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi on Sunday where the 'grandfather' of all matches across Africa will be happening.

Record Kenyan champions Gor Mahia will be flexing muscles with Egyptian giants and defending champions Al Ahly SC in the first leg of the CAF Champions League first round.

The Kenyan giants will be treading upon a lofty path where other continental greats like Raja Casablanca, TP Mazembe, Yanga, Simba, Esperance and Wydad have trudged upon in recent past without any success.

Al Ahly have been colossus in the CL, stamping their authority in the competition where they have bagged four of the five last titles and are now seeking a third gong in a row.

Now that the job is the hands of Gor Mahia to unclench the opponents’ fists, will K'Ogalo do the mission impossible?

On paper, this match is very tough for Gor. Tougher than being between a rock and a hard place, going by Al Ahly's decorations, but 'kwa ground vitu vichenjanga' (things are different on the ground).

Gor Mahia head coach Leonardo Neiva has instructed his charges to have a mental shift in the game, underlining that it is the mental toughness that will save them from the jaws of the imposing Egyptians.

The Brazilian tactician wants his boys to play the match clinically as there is no room for error against the hawk-eyed rivals.

"We will use home advantage to our favour, but I want the boys to push themselves beyond limit. I want the boys to think and play some high level football, to give them an advantage over the opponents," he stated.

Neiva insists they have to finish the job at home so that their away encounter on September 21 just becomes a mere formality.

"We have to play to win, not just play good football. We have to play well so we will be able to make our own decision when we go for the away fixture,” said Neiva.

"If we fail to step up in the first leg, we will jeopardise our chances and that's why it is important to start strong, especially now that we are at home.”

Neiva knows the importance of the 12th man push in a very tough game like this one, and is the reason he is calling upon dedicated K'Ogalo Green Army to descend at Nyayo in droves to give the marauding rivals jitters.

He wants the opponents to have a taste of their medicine by making them quake in their boots, same way they do to other clubs visiting Cairo.

Gor heads to the match boosted with the return of Rooney Onyango, Sylvester Owino and Austine Odhiambo who rejoined the squad after national duty with Harambee Stars against Namibia in South Africa.

Hopeful for the encounter is defender Alphonce Omija who picked up an injury during Kenya versus Zimbabwe showdown in Kampala last week.

Also rejoining K'Ogalo for the slug-off is the fleet-footed Sammy Onyango who was signed from the Kenya Police FC.

Other new signings expected to add depth in the squad are Gedeon Bendeka (Etincelles, Rwanda), Samuel Kapen (Nairobi City Stars), Chris Akena (Apollon Pontou, Greece) and Enock Morrison (Asante Kotoko, Ghana).

Gor qualified for the next round after a 5-2 aggregate win against El Merreikh Bentiu of South Sudan while the 12 time CAF CL champions Al Ahly had a bye in round one.

Winner of the encounter, after the second leg slated for Egypt on September 21, will qualify for the group stages that normally have very attractive perks. The last time Gor sailed to the CAF CL berth was 32 years ago.