Gor Mahia skipper Philemon Otieno has tipped the Kenyan behemoths to pick maximum points in their Cecafa Kagame Cup opening encounter against Zambia's representatives Red Arrows on Wednesday.
A 25-star-studded K’Ogalo contingent arrived in neighboring Tanzania on Sunday for the premier annual regional inter-club showpiece.
In an interview on Tuesday, Otieno said they intend to set their title contention in motion with an emphatic win against their Group ‘B’ opponents at the state-of-the-art Azam Complex.
“The mood in the camp is fantastic, and we are all looking forward to a brilliant match. Our target is to pick up all three points on Wednesday and try as much as we can to win all our subsequent fixtures,” Otieno remarked.
Otieno said they are not quaking in the boots at the mere thought of the stellar roster of opponents in the competitive showpiece, adding that they are ready to put up a furious battle on their way to the title.
“We have a well-refined squad with a proven track record and an enviable wealth of experience. We expect a great deal of competition because our opponents are equal to the task. Still, we are determined to run away with the title,” Otieno stated.
Otieno said they would use the stage to limber up for the upcoming Caf Champions League that will take centre stage later in the year.
“Our focus is building a competitive squad for the Caf Champions League that will begin in September. We shall be competing in Tanzania with our sights firmly trained on the continental championship,” Otieno remarked.
Gor’s next encounter is against Djibouti Premier League champions Telcom FC at the same venue on Saturday. They will then conclude their group stage campaign against Sudanese side Al Hilal on Tuesday.
Earlier, head coach Leonardo Martins Neiva exuded confidence in the potential of his charges to perform well in the competition despite being pressed for time to prepare adequately.
“I didn’t have enough time to organise ourselves tactically for the Cecafa Kagame Cup given that I only arrived a few days ago. However, we’ll try as much as we can to do our best in the tournament. I’ll use the opportunity to assess the players we have in the squad and gauge their preparedness for top level competition,” he added.
The 21-time Kenyan champions are expected to unveil their new signings at the competition, including Chris Akena who was acquired from Greece League 2 side Apollon Pontou FC, Gedeon Bendeka snatched from Etincelles FC in Rwanda and fleet-footed erstwhile Nairobi City Stars’ offensive midfielder Samuel Kapen.
The highly-skilled left-footed fullback Levin Odhiambo who joined the side from Tusker midway through the season also travelled with the four-time Cecafa Kagame Cup champions.
