Anciety is over and Gor Mahia will beging the journey to Algeria by midnight today and will land in Algiers on on Christmas day at 3.30pm Kenyan time.
The team is expected to train on arrival before the CAF Champions League clash against the host CR Belouizdad on a boxing day 206th December 2020.
The trip has been coupled with confusion due to travelling restrictions by the host country enimating feom the COVID-19 epidamic.
The team is in hight spirit and the head coach Sammy Omollo believes they have a chance to get a positive outcome this first leg match.
North African teams have been headache to the Kenya champions but this time they are prepared to turn around what they believe to be bad luck.
Same competition last inn2019, K’Ogalo lost 2-1 at home to USM Algiers before losing 4-1 away in Algeria. The trend hasn’t been something to smile about, but the team is believe they can break this jinx this time around.
The two teams also met in the Confederation Cup in the 2018 season with the first leg staged in Kenya ending in a 0-0 draw before USM Alger won the return leg 2-1 at home to advance 2-1 on aggregate.
In 2019, Gor Mahia were also drawn to face Algerian side Hussein Dey in the Confederation Cup, and they won the first leg staged in Nairobi 2-0 but lost away 1-0 to claim a 2-1 aggregate win.
“I am hopeful we can get a positive result away from Algeria, we have players who can deliver,” Omollo said.
“If we manage to stick to our game plan, I am optimistic we will get at least a draw away. Yes, we are going for a win but a draw will not be bad. Then when we come home we finish the job by winning.
“Yes, Algerian teams have been challenging for us, but nothing is impossible, we can get past them.”
The team will miss the services of the Captain Kenneth Muguna due to a rib injury.
The 24-year-old was influential for K’Ogalo in their first preliminary round against APR. The skipper played a part in three out of the four goals K’Ogalo scored in the 4-3 aggregate win.
“In this stage, you want to have your best players, but when you cannot have them, you will have to do with those available,” Omollo continued.
“Muguna is a good player and we will definitely miss him, but I am hopeful those available will do the job.”
The match will be played on Saturday, December 26 from 10.45 pm Kenya time.