Gor Mahia head coach Charles Akonnor believes the CECAFA Kagame Cup has provided an important foundation for his preparations ahead of a demanding 2026/27 season, despite the Kenyan champions falling short in their bid to win the regional title.The record league champions returned to Nairobi on Saturday after suffering a 2-1 extra-time defeat to hosts Rayon Sports in Friday’s final at Amahoro Stadium, ending their hopes of lifting the trophy for a fourth time.##NAJAVA_MECA_9883764##For Akonnor, however, the five-match tournament was about more than silverware. The Ghanaian used the competition to assess his expanded squad, give his new recruits meaningful minutes and experiment with different tactical combinations.“Of course, we gave some of the new players a chance because there were many matches ahead of us,” he said in an interview with the Star. “Before we left Rwanda, everyone got a fair chance. It was important for the technical bench to know them well.”That process began emphatically, with Gor making an explosive start by thrashing APR 5-0. It was followed by a 1-0 loss to Vipers before recovering with a 1-0 win over Garde Republicane.Harambee Stars midfielder completes move to English sideAkonnor had already identified defensive organisation as one of the areas requiring attention after Gor suffered a defeat to Rayon Sports in a pre-tournament friendly.“What happened against Rayon was individual mistakes that we made defensively,” he said.“We are aware of that, we’ve been able to talk about it, and our video analyst has gone through it with the players, telling them exactly what we did wrong.”Government issues update on construction of new stadium in Murang'a [PHOTOS]The coach subsequently continued rotating his squad and testing different formations during the Kagame Cup, using the demanding schedule to assess the depth and balance of his new-look team.His decision to use the tournament as part of the rebuilding process had been deliberate from the outset.“I am very delighted that the CECAFA Kagame Cup comes at such a time because it will give the team good preparations ahead of the new season,” Akonnor said before the tournament.Although Rayon Sports ultimately ended Gor’s campaign in the final, Akonnor believes the performances of his new recruits offered encouragement as he continues to shape the team.“The new players, who were given a chance, showed great attitude; we are very satisfied, very happy with their performance, but that is not all,” he said.Enoch Morrison reveals why he left Gor Mahia for Sudanese giants“It is just the second week of the pre-season, and we believe that if we continue to train very well and give them the understanding of how they have to perform, process things on the field of play, we would be better.”Gor now shift their attention to the league and continental assignments. The Kenyan champions have been drawn against Egyptian giants Pyramids FC in the first preliminary round. The first leg is scheduled to be played in Nairobi between September 4 and 6, with the return leg set for Egypt a week later.No easy start as Gor Mahia land strong opponent for 2026-2027 season opener
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