Football
Andrew Oryada, Special to ESPN 6y

Gor Mahia are genuine Confederation Cup contenders - Dylan Kerr

After moving one step closer to the CAF Confederation Cup quarter finals by beating Young Africans 3-2 on Sunday, Gor Mahia coach Dylan Kerr believes that his side are genuine contenders for the title.

Gor took the lead in the opening minute through George Odhiambo, with Jacques Tuyisinge and Harun Shakava adding further goals while Deus Kaseke and Rapael Loth responded for the Tanzanian heavyweights.

The win takes the Kenya Premier League champions up to top spot in Group D - level on eight points with USM Alger - and coach Kerr believes that K'Ogalo's campaign so far proves that they can go the distance in Africa's second-tier cup competition.

"We have what it takes to win this cup," Kerr told Gor's media team after the game. "My players have showed that we are good enough to challenge for it.

"Our win against Young Africans was sweet because we have beaten them twice in a few weeks," he added. "My goalkeeper wasn't at his best today and let in some cheap goals, but generally I am happy at the way the team is fighting and getting results.

"We are unbeaten in the League in Kenya and now in the group stage of the Confederation Cup," the English manager continued. "This is not by mistake but through real hard work and determination, because we know what we want to achieve."

Gor started their campaign with a 1-1 draw away to Rayon Sport in Rwanda before holding Algeria's USM Alger 0-0 in Nairobi. They then proceeded to humble Young Africans 4-0 in Nairobi at home before heaping further woe on Yanga this weekend.

"We continue to create so many scoring chances but are converting few," Kerr cautioned. "I love what I am seeing with my team because they have adapted a winning mentality that could take us through to the last stage of this tournament.

"Even after losing our top striker Meddie Kagere to Tanzania's Simba SC, we have continued to play well and attack well," Kerr concluded. "I am very impressed."

Defeat, by contrast, sends troubled Young Africans out of the competition, having taken just one point from their opening four matches.

"This is very disappointing again from the boys because we are not getting results and we are now out of the tournament," coach Mwinyi Zahera told KweséESPN after the game.

"Internal problems in the club have affected the morale of many of the players and this has affected the motivation," he explained.

^ Back to Top ^