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The Nairobian

NO FEAR FOR GOR: Juma says opponents in Top 8 final are beatable

Football

By Rodgers Eshitemi | Oct 16, 2016

**Gor Mahia Innocent Wafula(R) and George Mandela of Muhoroni Youth struggle for the ball during their Sportpesa Premier League at Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday 01/11/15.PHOTO:BONIFACE OKENDO**

Muhoroni Youth coach Tom Juma is relishing the prospects of meeting his former club Gor Mahia when the two sides face-off in today’s Kenyan Premier League Top 8 Knock out Tournament finals at the Nyayo National Stadium.

As Muhoroni will be aiming to end their five-game winless streak against Gor Mahia, the 15-time league will be seeking to retain the trophy they won last year.
Both teams are coming off a similar result.

Second-placed Gor (44 points), who are chasing for double this season, were held to a barren draw by relegation-threatened Sofapaka before the international break as ninth-ranked Muhoroni (34 points) shared the spoils with visiting Mathare United after mid-week’s barren draw.

Muhoroni qualified for the final thanks to an away goal against Ulinzi Stars (1-1) in the return leg semifinal tie after a barren first leg encounter as two time winners Gor Mahia beat league leaders Tusker 3-0 on aggregate to sail through.

Although history favours K’Ogalo, Juma, who was recently elevated to the coaching role by the club’s management after the sacking of former Nairobi City Stars and Gor Mahia coach John ‘Bobby’ Ogolla, insists no team is a favourite in a final and Gor are beatable.

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“We have prepared just like any other game, but being a final there is a lot of excitement in the team,” Juma said.

“Gor is a big team and I know they have a good record against us, but those are just numbers. Having played for them before, I think history will count for nothing. We want to prove that our final qualification was no fluke and that any team is beatable. We will give our best.”

The former Kenyan international, who lamented the absence of suspended lead striker Wycliffe Ochomo and Paul Muchika disclosed that the trio of goalkeeper Farouk Shikalo, Calvin Omanga and Abdallah Hamisi, who scored the goal in their 1-1 return leg semifinal match against Ulinzi Stars, are doubtful for the final.

“Of course, we will miss Ochomo. He has been one of our best players through out the season, but since he has some issues with the office I will have to use what I have at the moment,” said the former AFC Leopards man.

“We also got some minor injuries from the Mathare match. Shikalo, Omanga and Hamisi will have to undergo a late fitness test to decide whether to field them or not.”