Gor Mahia head coach Charles Akonnor has explained why he is confident his side can overcome Al Hilal Omdurman in the semi-finals of the CECAFA Kagame Cup. The two sides will face off at Kigali Pelé Stadium from 1600 hrs on Tuesday, with both teams aiming to book a place in the final.
The clash pits together two of East and North Africa’s most successful clubs. K’Ogalo are record 22-time FKF Premier League champions, while Al Hilal have won the Sudan Premier League a record 31 times. Ahead of the encounter, Akonnor said Gor Mahia had studied their opponents and identified areas they can exploit.”We watched their last match. They are a good team, but we equally saw their weaknesses. We know our strengths and what we can do to prevent them from functioning well during the match,” said Akonnor.
Gor Mahia Face Al Hilal in blockbuster Kagame Cup semi-finalThe Ghanaian tactician also believes Gor Mahia’s winning mentality gives them every reason to be confident.”We will be facing a well-known opponent whom we respect a lot, but we are K’Ogalo. We will carry the Gor Mahia spirit into the match and believe we have a big chance of winning,” he added.Reflecting on the team’s journey to the last four, Akonnor praised his players’ performances while insisting there is still room for improvement.” Our first match was very good and impressive. In the second one, we struggled, while the third was not as good, but we still managed to grind out a win. We are aiming to do even better.”KSSSA: From borrowing bus fare to watch volleyball, Mwitoti star dreams of building an academy back homeHis sentiments were echoed by Harambee Stars defender Daniel Sakari, who highlighted the importance of the tournament in preparing the team for the 2026/27 campaign.”
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We know they are a formidable team that has achieved a lot in African football, including reaching the quarter-finals of last season’s CAF Champions League, but we are ready for the challenge.” Reaching the semi-finals is good for us because it gives us more competitive playing time during pre-season ahead of our CAF Champions League and FKF Premier League campaigns,” he said.