Gor Mahia have been pooled in a tough Group ‘A’ of this year’s Cecafa Kagame Cup tournament to be held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
According to the draw conducted on Wednesday and obtained by our source, K’Ogalo have been pooled alongside Tanzanian giants Yanga FC, Al-Khartoum (Sudan), Telecom of Somalia and KMKM of Zanzibar.
Last year's losing finalists Rwanda's Patriotic Army (APR), another Sudanese outfit Al Shandy, LLB (Burundi) and Elman (Somalia) will comprise Group ‘B’ while Group ‘C’ will comprise Azam (Tanzania), Malakia (South Sudan), Kampala City Council (Uganda) and Adama City (Ethiopia).Two teams from each of these three groups, alongside the two best losers will proceed to the quarter-finals of the competition with all matches in the three-week tourney being played at the 60,000-seater National Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
DRAW IS OUT: Cecafa secretary general Nicholas Musonye speaks during the draw
Gor Mahia will launch their campaign for the elusive crown against Yanga on July 18, take on KMKM of Zanzibar on July 20, face Anthony 'Teddy' Akumu's Al-Khartoum of Sudan on July 24 before winding up their preliminary matches against Telekom on July 26.
The top three teams will each be handed Sh3m, Sh2m and Sh1m respectively, in prize money. Gor Mahia will be representing Kenya at the regional competition for second successive year. They will be keen on snatching the title from Sudan’s powerhouse El-Merreikh, who beat host club APR of Rwanda in last year, with Kenyan striker Allan Wanga, scoring the all-important goal.
K’Ogalo suffered the ignominy of being tossed out at the group stages last term without winning a single match under then coach Bobby Williamson. The then K’Ogalo squad was light weight compared to the current coherent outfit and the Kenyan champions will have every reason to stake a claim at the trophy.
The competition will run from July 18- August 2015
