Caf Confederation Cup: Why Gor Mahia only have 15 players for DR Congo trip

Gor Mahia have denied claims the team failed to make it to the group stage of the Caf Confederation Cup because they had a lean squad.

The Kenyan champions were seeking to make it to the group stage for the third season in a row but lost 3-2 on aggregate to Daring Club Motema Pembe of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

K’Ogalo had managed to secure a 1-1 draw in the first leg played in Kenya a week ago before falling 2-1 in the return leg staged in Congo to exit the competition. Last season, Gor Mahia reached the group stage before proceeding to the quarter-finals where they lost to RS Berkane from Morocco.

Ahead of their return leg against Motema Pembe, Gor Mahia coach Steven Polack bemoaned having a lean squad of 15 players saying it will not be easy to navigate the competition with such a squad.

“We have 15 players and it is not easy to go to a decisive game like this with 15 players,” Polack told Goal before the team left for Congo. “My main worry is we only registered 16 players for the competition and with [Charles Momanyi] suspended, it means we now have 15 players to take to Congo and I hope and pray no one gets injured.”

To be precise, out of the 17 players signed by Gor Mahia last season, only three led by Dickson Ambundo, Tobias Otieno and keeper David Mapigano managed to be registered by Caf and were able to play in subsequent matches against Aigle Noir of Burundi and USM Alger of Algeria.

Gor Mahia CEO Omondi Aduda has come out to defend the decision saying it was not the making of the office.

“We registered at least 30 players but it turned out that some of them are out injured,” Aduda told Goal. “Look at this, we registered Shafik [Batambuze], Philemon [Otieno] and Curtis [Wekesa] but unfortunately, both players are out on long term injuries.

“We also registered Harun [Shakava], Dennis [Oliech], Francis [Mustafa], Erisa [Ssekisambu] and Hashim [Sempala], but you all know what happened with Oliech and the rest of the players.

“If a player wants to go, you have no option but to let him go. You cannot try to keep a player who has demanded to leave the club and it was the case with Shakava, Mustafa and Ssekisambu.”

On whether the club signed a replacement for departed striker Jacques Tuyisenge, Aduda responded to Goal: “I must thank the chairman for signing Ghanaian striker Francis Afriyie and Ivorian star Gislein Yikpe Gnamian.

“We must appreciate the fact the chairman [Ambrose Rachier] saw the need to replace Tuyisenge and Kagere by signing the two players.”

Aduda now says the club will shift their focus to defending the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) title.

“We have a huge match coming up against Mathare United on Wednesday and that is where our focus will turn to,” Aduda continued.

“We also have the derby coming up against AFC Leopards on Sunday. So our main focus now turns to the league. The team did well in the Caf competition and we have no complaints at all. We will make the team better again and get ready for the competition next season.

Both the Mathare United and AFC Leopards matches will be staged at Kasarani Stadium.