Gor seek points in Mozambique

BY JAMES WAINDI

Gor Mahia’s Cameroonian coach Annaba Awuono made a last minute replacement of striker Hugo Nzangu with Joseph Kiplangat as the team left for a CAF Confederation Cup first leg qualifier against Mozambique’s Clube Ferroviario de Maputo this afternoon.

Nzangu, who scored on his first appearance for the 12 times champions during Gor’s 2-0 league win over Thika United last Sunday, pulled a thigh muscle towards the end of the match and, while Annaba had crossed his fingers anticipating his quick recovery, he did not recover in time for the Maputo trip.

"I have replaced Nzangu with Kiplangat because he could not recover in time. Baldwin Ngwa returned to training this week, but I am not sure if he can play the entire match. But I have Moses Odhiambo and Kiplagat to rely on for goals," said Annaba before the team left for Maputo.

Gor, who won the Confederation Cup in 1987, then known as Mandela Cup, are making a comeback to the continental showcase after a disastrous outing in 2009 when they were eliminated in the preliminary stage by Rwanda’s APR after a 6-1 aggregate lose from the two legs.

"I don’t want to promise a win away, but we will be going for a good result so that we can find it easy in the second leg at home. I know nothing about Ferroviario. I have not seen them playing, but we have a team that can challenge any side in Africa," said Awono.

Both teams command massive following at their backyards, making the away and home fixtures a must watch. While Gor have won the local title 12 times, Ferroviario, which was founded in 1924, have won their league nine times

The last time Ferroviario featured in a continental tournament was in 2009 when they were knocked out of the preliminary stage of the Champions League. The best they have done in the Confederation Cup is a First Round exit, which was in 2005.

Gor skipper Jerry Onyango, one of the two surviving members of the Gor Mahia side that lost heavily to APR believe they have come of age and that fans will see a totally different side from the 2009 side.

Onyango was the custodian then, in his first season for K’Ogalo from Nationwide side KRA and the other player in the team still in Gor was Chris Wekesa who has been transformed into a defender. Against APR in 2009 Wekesa played as a striker.

"In 2009 most of our players were inexperienced as majority had just left school and some were still in school, but we have now come of age and with the inclusion of some experienced players in the team we are a very different side this time," said Onyango.