Gor and Bandari drawn against tough opposition in Confederation Cup

Gor Mahia Coach Steven Polack against USM Alger during their CAF Confederation Cup match at Kasarani on Sunday 29/09/19 [PHOTO: Boniface Okendo, Standard]

Record Kenyan champions Gor Mahia and domestic cup winners Bandari are both targeting the CAF Confederation Cup group stage qualification despite being drawn against tough opposition in the play-offs.

Gor, who dropped to the second tier continental competition after suffering a 6-1 defeat on aggregate to Algeria’s USM Alger in the first round of the Champions League face DR Congo giants DC Motema Pembe.

On the other hand, Bandari face Horoya SC from Guinea in the two-legged play-offs.

The draws were conducted on Wednesday night in Cairo, Egypt.

The Dockers progressed to the play-offs for the first time in the club’s history after overcoming Tunisia’s US Ben Guardene 3-2 on aggregate in the previous round of the Confederation Cup.

Horoya crushed out of the Champions League after falling 5-4 to Algeria’s JS Kabylie on penalties.

K’Ogalo will take on DC Motema Pembe on October 27 in the first leg tie at Kasarani Stadium before travelling to Kinshasa for the return leg on November 3 in Kinshasa.

Bandari will start away to Horaya in Conakry on October 27 ahead of the return leg in Nairobi.

Though Gor captain Kenneth Muguna is wary of the Congolese giants’ threat, they are determined to qualify to the lucrative group stage for the second season in a row.

“We’ve put the Champions League disappointment behind us and we expect nothing short of victories in both matches. It will be a difficult game, but we are determined to fight hard and qualify to the group stage again,” Muguna said.

His teammate Tobias Otieno added: “Though we are having some tough times at the club, we still have another chance to fight back.”