NAIROBI, September 24 – Gor Mahia head coach, Frank Nuttall anticipates a tough encounter against Muhoroni Youth when the two sides battle it out in Saturday’s KPL Top 8 quarter-final clash in Kisumu.
Nuttall who guided K’Ogalo to their third successive SportPesa Premier League title admitted fatigue is starting to catch up with his charges but was confident they will overcome it.
Both sides have their own bragging rights, with Gor boasting of their SportPesa Premier League unbeaten run while the sugar belt side are yet to taste defeat in the second-leg.
K’Ogalo will enter the match as favourites having taken control of the first-leg where they won 1-0 when they last meet but the Scotsman is not taking anything for chance.
“It will be another tough match but I believe we have recovered and hope to continue with our winning ways. We had a difficult week and having our fixture congested, our tempo has dropped. We must up our game,” Nuttall, who sees his one-year contract ending in November, stated.
Muhoroni face an uphill task in stopping the record 15-time national champions, having a poor head-to-head record where they have only managed to beat Gor once since they joined the top flight league in 2011.
However, they will be motivated by their second-leg impressive run with skipper Abbass Akinyemi warning the Cecafa Kagame Cup beaten finalists not to expect maximum points in a match where one will bow out.
“Gor is a fantastic team with good players we know each one of them but I think the game will be like their derby against AFC Leopards because they are unbeaten and we too are unbeaten in the second-leg. Nobody wants to spoil their unbeaten.
“We believe in ourselves and I’m sure by the end of the season we will have either the Top 8 or GOtv Shield in our cabinet,” Akinyemi, a former Tusker FC forward warned.
Both sides enter the clash from the back of wins in the GOtv Shield where Gor edged out Ushuru FC whilst Muhoroni sent home KCB.
K’Ogalo are expected to welcome left-back Abouba Sibomana who was sidelined for two matches with groin injury he picked while on international duty for Rwanda in September.
Muhoroni head coach, Paul Nkata has his all players available for selection after SJAK/SportPesa Player of the Month of August; George Mandela who missed KCB match recovered from a hamstring injury.
Having bagged the league and DSTV Super Cup, K’Ogalo are chasing two more titles this season, the Top 8 and GOtv Shield where they are through to the round of 16.
Other fixtures will see Chemelil Sugar square it out with Sofapaka in Kisumu’s early kick-off.
Defending champions Tusker FC will be up against cash-strapped AFC Leopards while Ulinzi Stars face Sony Sugar in a double header at Nakuru’s Afraha Stadium on Sunday.