Cup thriller today

By James Waindi

In England it’s called the Charity Shield. English Premier League champions meet FA Cup winners in a season’s football curtain raiser. Kenya Premier League has introduced its own — the Super Cup.

Local league champions Mathare United and one of the country’s most successful clubs Gor Mahia clash this afternoon in what promises to be a thrilling season opener at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.

The inaugural Super Cup takes a global shape in which the league champions take on winners of the KFF (Kenya Football Federation) Cup, formerly known as the Moi Golden Cup, at the beginning of the season. United won the 2008 Premiership and Gor Mahia won the Cup title.

Speaking to FeverPitch on Saturday yesterday, Gor Mahia’s coach James Siang’a said the match would be a thriller.

"I promise fans a mouth-watering fixture. We have always had an upper hand in our encounters with Mathare United, but I think tomorrow’s match would be open and could go either way since the latter have come of age and play almost the same entertaining football as Gor," said Siang’a after the team’s training at Eastleigh High School. In a week’s time, both teams will be taking part in continental club assignments and are expected to use today’s match to tune up for the upcoming fixtures.

Mathare will travel to Ndola, Zambia, to take on the local champions Zesco United in a African Club Champions League, first round, first leg tie on January 31, while Gor Mahia who won the continental title in 1987, will host APR of Rwanda in a African Football Confederation (CAF) Cup tie on February 1.

Mathare coach Francis Kimanzi said he would use today’s match to try out new things in the team that have lost three key players and signed six new faces.

"I have about six new players and some of them will play. I will also field a number of players who did not get enough playing time last season," said Kimanzi.